TEXT 4 Na ùLPaaQaaeRdYaSTaSYa ivdurSYaaMal/aTMaNa" ) TaiSMaNa( vrqYaiSa Pa[én" SaaDauvadaePab*&ihTa" )) 4 )) na hy alpārthodayas tasya vidurasyāmalātmanaḥ tasmin varīyasi praśnaḥ sādhu-vādopabṛṁhitaḥ SYNONYMS na—never; hi—certainly; alpa-artha—small (unimportant) purpose; udayaḥ—raised; tasya—his; vidurasya—of Vidura; amala-ātmanaḥ—of the saintly man; tasmin—in that; varīyasi—highly purposeful; praśnaḥ—question; sādhu-vāda—things approved by saints and sages; upabṛṁhitaḥ—full with. TRANSLATION Saint Vidura was a great and pure devotee of the Lord, and therefore his questions to His Grace Ṛṣi Maitreya must have been very purposeful, on the highest level, and approved by learned circles. PURPORT Questions and answers among different classes of men have different value. Inquiries by mercantile men in a business exchange cannot be expected to be highly purposeful in spiritual values. Questions and answers by different classes of men can be guessed by the caliber of the persons concerned. In Bhagavad-gītā, the discussion was between Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, the Supreme Person and the supreme devotee respectively. The Lord admitted Arjuna to be His devotee and friend (Bg. 4.3), and therefore any sane man can guess that the discussion was on the topic of the bhakti-yoga system. Actually the whole Bhagavad-gītā is based on the principle of bhakti-yoga. There is a difference between karma and karma-yoga. Karma is regulated action for the enjoyment of the fruit by the performer, but karma-yoga is action performed by the devotee for the satisfaction of the Lord. Karma-yoga is based on bhakti, or pleasing the Lord, whereas karma is based on pleasing the senses of the performer himself. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one is advised to approach a bona fide spiritual master when one is actually inclined to question from an elevated level of spiritual understanding. A common man who has no interest in spiritual values has no need to approach a spiritual master just as a matter of following fashion. As a student, Mahārāja Parīkṣit was serious about learning the science of God, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a bona fide spiritual master in the transcendental science. Both of them knew that the topics discussed by Vidura and Ṛṣi Maitreya were elevated, and thus Mahārāja Parīkṣit was very interested in learning from the bona fide spiritual master. |
TEXT 16 Sa wTQaMaTYauLb<ak-<aRba<aE‚ >a]aTau" Paurae MaMaRSau Taai@Taae_iPa ) SvYa& DaNauÜaRir iNaDaaYa MaaYaa& GaRTaVYaQaae_Yaaduå MaaNaYaaNa" )) 16 )) svayaṁ dhanur dvāri nidhāya māyāṁ bhrātuḥ puro marmasu tāḍito ’pi sa ittham atyulbaṇa-karṇa-bāṇair gata-vyatho ’yād uru mānayānaḥ SYNONYMS svayam—he himself; dhanuḥ dvāri—bow on the door; nidhāya—keeping; māyām—the external nature; bhrātuḥ—brother’s; puraḥ—from the palace; marmasu—in the core of the heart; tāḍitaḥ—being afflicted; api—in spite of; saḥ—he (Vidura); ittham—like this; ati-ulbaṇa—severely; karṇa—ear; bāṇaiḥ—by the arrows; gata-vyathaḥ—without being sorry; ayāt—excited; uru—great; māna-yānaḥ—so thinking. TRANSLATION Thus being pierced by arrows through his ears and afflicted to the core of his heart, Vidura placed his bow on the door and quit his brother’s palace. He was not sorry, for he considered the acts of the external energy to be supreme. PURPORT A pure devotee of the Lord is never perturbed by an awkward position created by the external energy of the Lord. In Bhagavad-gītā (3.27) it is stated: prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate A conditioned soul is absorbed in material existence under the influence of different modes of external energy. Absorbed in the false ego, he thinks that he is doing everything by himself. The external energy of the Lord, the material nature, is fully under the control of the Supreme Lord, and the conditioned soul is fully under the grip of the external energy. Therefore, the conditioned soul is fully under the control of the law of the Lord. But, due to illusion only, he thinks himself independent in his activities. Duryodhana was acting under such influence of the external nature, by which he would be vanquished at the ultimate end. He could not accept the sound advice of Vidura, but on the contrary he insulted that great soul, who was the well-wisher of his whole family. Vidura could understand this because he was a pure devotee of the Lord. In spite of being very strongly insulted by Duryodhana’s words, Vidura could see that Duryodhana, under the influence of māyā, the external energy, was making progress on the path toward his own ruination. He therefore considered the acts of the external energy to be supreme, yet he also saw how the internal energy of the Lord helped him in that particular situation. A devotee is always in a renounced temperament because the worldly attractions can never satisfy him. Vidura was never attracted by the royal palace of his brother. He was always ready to leave the place and devote himself completely to the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Now he got the opportunity by the grace of Duryodhana, and instead of being sorry at the strong words of insult, he thanked him from within because it gave him the chance to live alone in a holy place and fully engage in the devotional service of the Lord. The word gata-vyathaḥ (without being sorry) is significant here because Vidura was relieved from the tribulations which trouble every man entangled in material activities. He therefore thought that there was no need to defend his brother with his bow because his brother was meant for ruination. Thus he left the palace before Duryodhana could act. Māyā, the supreme energy of the Lord, acted here both internally and externally. |
TEXT 17 Sa iNaGaRTa" k-aErvPau<Yal/BDaae GaJaaûYaataqQaRPad" PadaiNa ) ANva§-MaTPau<Yaick-IzRYaaeVYaa| AiDaiïTaae YaaiNa SahóMaUiTaR" )) 17 )) sa nirgataḥ kaurava-puṇya-labdho gajāhvayāt tīrtha-padaḥ padāni anvākramat puṇya-cikīrṣayorvyām adhiṣṭhito yāni sahasra-mūrtiḥ SYNONYMS saḥ—he (Vidura); nirgataḥ—after having quit; kaurava—the Kuru dynasty; puṇya—piety; labdhaḥ—so achieved; gaja-āhvayāt—from Hastināpura; tīrtha-padaḥ—of the Supreme Lord; padāni—pilgrimages; anvākramat—took shelter; puṇya—piety; cikīrṣayā—desiring so; urvyām—of high grade; adhiṣṭhitaḥ—situated; yāni—all those; sahasra—thousands; mūrtiḥ—forms. TRANSLATION By his piety, Vidura achieved the advantages of the pious Kauravas. After leaving Hastināpura, he took shelter of many places of pilgrimages, which are the Lord’s lotus feet. With a desire to gain a high order of pious life, he traveled to holy places where thousands of transcendental forms of the Lord are situated. PURPORT Vidura was undoubtedly a highly elevated and pious soul, otherwise he would not have taken his birth in the Kaurava family. To have high parentage, to possess wealth, to be highly learned and to have great personal beauty are all due to past pious acts. But such pious possessions are not sufficient for obtaining the grace of the Lord and being engaged in His transcendental loving service. Vidura considered himself less pious, and therefore he decided to travel to all the great places of pilgrimage in the world in order to achieve greater piety and advance nearer to the Lord. At that time, Lord Kṛṣṇa was personally present in the world, and Vidura could have at once approached Him directly, but he did not do so because he was not sufficiently freed from sin. One cannot be one hundred percent devoted to the Lord unless and until he is completely free from all effects of sin. Vidura was conscious that by the association of the diplomatic Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana he had lost his piety and was therefore not fit to associate at once with the Lord. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.28) this is confirmed in the following verse: yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ Persons who are sinful asuras like Kaṁsa and Jarāsandha cannot think of Lord Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth. Only those who are pure devotees, those who follow the regulative principles of religious life as prescribed in the scriptures, are able to engage themselves in karma-yoga and then jñāna-yoga and thereafter, by pure meditation, can understand pure consciousness. When God consciousness is developed, one can take advantage of the association of pure devotees. Syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt: one is able to associate with the Lord even during the existence of this life. Places of pilgrimages are meant for eradicating the sins of the pilgrims, and they are distributed all over the universe just to give facility to all concerned for attaining pure existence and God realization. One should not be satisfied, however, merely by visiting the places of pilgrimage and performing one’s prescribed duties; he should be eager to meet the great souls who are already there, engaged in the service of the Lord. In each and every place of pilgrimage, the Lord is present in His various transcendental forms. These forms are called arcā-mūrtis, or forms of the Lord which can be easily appreciated by the common man. The Lord is transcendental to our mundane senses. He cannot be seen with our present eyes, nor can He be heard with our present ears. To the degree that we have entered into the service of the Lord or to the proportion to which our lives are freed from sins, we can perceive the Lord. But even though we are not free from sins, the Lord is kind enough to allow us the facility of seeing Him in His arcā-mūrtis in the temple. The Lord is all-powerful, and therefore He is able to accept our service by presentation of His arcā form. No one, therefore, should foolishly think the arcā in the temple to be an idol. Such an arcā-mūrti is not an idol but the Lord Himself, and to the proportion to which one is free from sins, he is able to know the significance of the arcā-mūrti. The guidance of a pure devotee is therefore always required. In the land of Bhāratavarṣa there are many hundreds and thousands of places of pilgrimage distributed all over the country, and by traditional practice the common man visits such holy places during all seasons of the year. Some of the arcā representations of the Lord situated in different places of pilgrimage are mentioned herewith. The Lord is present at Mathurā (the birthplace of Lord Kṛṣṇa) as Ādi-keśava; the Lord is present at Purī (Orissa) as Lord Jagannātha (also known as Puruṣottama); He is present at Allahabad (Prayāga) as Bindu-mādhava; at Mandara Hill He is present as Madhusūdana. In the Ānandāraṇya, He is known as Vāsudeva, Padmanābha and Janārdana; at Viṣṇukāñcī, He is known as Viṣṇu; and at Māyāpura, He is known as Hari. There are millions and billions of such arcā forms of the Lord distributed all over the universe. All these arcā-mūrtis are summarized in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta in the following words: sarvatra prakāśa tāṅra——bhakte sukha dite jagatera adharma nāśi’ dharma sthāpite “The Lord has so distributed Himself all over the universe just to give pleasure to the devotees, to give the common man facility to eradicate his sins, and to establish religious principles in the world.” |
TEXT 42 Saae_h& hreMaRTYaRiv@MbNaeNa d*Xaae Na*<aa& cal/YaTaae ivDaaTau" ) NaaNYaaePal/+Ya" Padvq& Pa[Saada‚ ÀraiMa PaXYaNa( GaTaivSMaYaae_}a )) 42 )) so ’haṁ harer martya-viḍambanena dṛśo nṛṇāṁ cālayato vidhātuḥ nānyopalakṣyaḥ padavīṁ prasādāc carāmi paśyan gata-vismayo ’tra SYNONYMS saḥ aham—therefore, I; hareḥ—of the Personality of Godhead; martya—in this mortal world; viḍambanena—without being recognized; dṛśaḥ—on sight; nṛṇām—of the people in general; cālayataḥ—bewildering; vidhātuḥ—in order to do it; na—not; anya—other; upalakṣyaḥ—seen by others; padavīm—glories; prasādāt—by the grace of; carāmi—do travel; paśyan—by seeing; gata-vismayaḥ—without doubt; atra—in this matter. TRANSLATION I am not astonished at this, having traveled over the world without being seen by others. The activities of the Personality of Godhead, which are like those of a man in this mortal world, are bewildering to others, but I know of His greatness by His grace, and thus I am happy in all respects. PURPORT Although he was the brother of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Vidura was completely different. By the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he was not foolish like his brother, and thus his brother’s association could not influence him. Dhṛtarāṣṭra and his materialistic sons wanted to falsely lord it over the world by dint of their own strength. The Lord encouraged them in this, and thus they became more and more bewildered. But Vidura wanted to achieve sincere devotional service of the Lord and therefore became a soul absolutely surrendered to the Absolute Personality of Godhead. He could realize this in the progress of his pilgrim’s journey, and thus he was freed from all doubts. He was not at all sorry to be bereft of his hearth and home because he now had experience that dependence on the mercy of the Lord is a greater freedom than so-called freedom at home. A person should not be in the renounced order of life unless he is firmly convinced of being protected by the Lord. This stage of life is explained in Bhagavad-gītā as abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ: every living entity is factually completely dependent on the mercy of the Lord, but unless one is in the pure state of existence, he cannot be established in this position. This stage of dependence is called sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ, or purification of one’s existence. The result of such purification is exhibited in fearlessness. A devotee of the Lord, who is called nārāyaṇa-para, is never afraid of anything because he is always aware of the fact that the Lord protects him in all circumstances. With this conviction, Vidura traveled alone, and he was not seen or recognized by any friend or foe. Thus he enjoyed freedom of life without obligation to the many duties of the world. When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was personally present in the mortal world in His eternal, blissful form of Śyāmasundara, those who were not pure devotees of the Lord could not recognize Him or know His glories. Avajānānti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (Bg. 9.11): He is always bewildering to the nondevotees, but He is always seen by the devotees by dint of their pure devotional service to Him. |
NaUNa& Na*Paa<aa& i}aMadaeTPaQaaNaa& Mahq& Mauhuêal/YaTaa& cMaUi>a" ) vDaaTPa[PaàaiTaRiJahqzRYaeXaae‚ _PYauPaE+aTaaga& >aGavaNa( ku-æ<aaMa( )) 43 )) nūnaṁ nṛpāṇāṁ tri-madotpathānāṁ mahīṁ muhuś cālayatāṁ camūbhiḥ vadhāt prapannārti-jihīrṣayeśo ’py upaikṣatāghaṁ bhagavān kurūṇām SYNONYMS nūnam—of course; nṛpāṇām—of the kings; tri—three; mada-utpathānām—going astray out of false pride; mahīm—earth; muhuḥ—constantly; cālayatām—agitating; camūbhiḥ—by movement of soldiers; vadhāt—from the act of killing; prapanna—surrendered; ārti-jihīrṣaya—willing to relieve the distress of the sufferers; īśaḥ—the Lord; api—in spite of; upaikṣata—waited; agham—offenses; bhagavān—the Supreme Lord; kurūṇām—of the Kurus. TRANSLATION Despite His being the Lord and being always willing to relieve the distress of sufferers, He [Kṛṣṇa] refrained from killing the Kurus, although they committed all sorts of sins and although He saw other kings constantly agitating the earth by their strong military movements carried out under the dictation of three kinds of false pride. PURPORT As declared in Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord appears in the mortal world to execute His much-needed mission of killing the miscreants and giving protection to the suffering faithful. In spite of that mission, Lord Kṛṣṇa tolerated the insult to Draupadī by the Kurus and the injustices perpetrated against the Pāṇḍavas, as well as insults to Himself. The question may be raised, “Why did He tolerate such injustices and insults in His presence? Why did He not chastise the Kurus immediately?” When Draupadī was insulted in the assembly by the Kurus by their attempt to see her naked in the presence of all, the Lord protected Draupadī by supplying an unlimited length of clothing. But He did not chastise the insulting party immediately. This silence of the Lord did not mean, however, that He excused the offenses of the Kurus. There were many other kings on earth who had become very proud of three kinds of possessions—wealth, education and followers—and they were constantly agitating the earth by movements of military strength. The Lord was just waiting to get them together on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra and kill them all at one time, just to make a short-cut in His killing mission. Godless kings or heads of state, when puffed up by advancement of material wealth, education and increase of population, always make a show of military strength and give trouble to the innocent. When Lord Kṛṣṇa was personally present, there were many such kings all over the world, and He thus arranged for the Battle of Kurukṣetra. In His manifestation of viśva-rūpa, the Lord expressed His mission of killing as follows: “I have willingly descended on the earth in My capacity of inexorable Time in order to decrease the unwanted population. I shall finish all those who have assembled here except you, the Pāṇḍavas. This killing does not wait for you to take part in it. It is already arranged: all will be killed by Me. If you want to become famous as the hero of the battlefield and thus enjoy the booty of war, then, O Savyasācī, just become the immediate cause of this killing and thus take the credit. I have already killed all the great warriors—Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Jayadratha, Karṇa and many other great generals. Do not worry. Fight the battle and be famous as a great hero.” (Bg. 11.32–34) The Lord always wants to see His devotee as the hero of some episode which He Himself performs. He wanted to see His devotee and friend Arjuna as the hero of the Battle of Kurukṣetra, and thus He waited for all the miscreants of the world to assemble. That, and nothing else, is the explanation of His waiting. |
TEXT 44 AJaSYa JaNMaaeTPaQaNaaXaNaaYa k-MaaR<Yak-TauRGa]Rh<aaYa Pau&SaaMa( ) NaNvNYaQaa k-ae_hRiTa dehYaaeGa& Parae Gau<aaNaaMauTa k-MaRTaN}aMa( )) 44 )) ajasya janmotpatha-nāśanāya karmāṇy akartur grahaṇāya puṁsām nanv anyathā ko ’rhati deha-yogaṁ paro guṇānām uta karma-tantram SYNONYMS ajasya—of the unborn; janma—appearance; utpatha-nāśanāya—f or the sake of annihilating the upstarts; karmāṇi—works; akartuḥ—of one who has nothing to do; grahaṇāya—to take up; puṁsām—of all persons; nanu anyathā—otherwise; kaḥ—who; arhati—may deserve; deha-yogam—contact of the body; paraḥ—transcendental; guṇānām—of the three modes of nature; uta—what to speak of; karma-tantram—the law of action and reaction. TRANSLATION The appearance of the Lord is manifested for the annihilation of the upstarts. His activities are transcendental and are enacted for the understanding of all persons. Otherwise, since the Lord is transcendental to all material modes, what purpose could He serve by coming to earth? PURPORT Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Brahma-saṁhitā 5.1): the form of the Lord is eternal, blissful, and all-satisfying. His so-called birth is therefore an appearance only, like the birth of the sun on the horizon. His birth does not, like that of the living entities, take place under the influence of material nature and the bondage of the reactions of past deeds. His works and activities are independent pastimes and are not subject to the reactions of material nature. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.14) it is said: na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā iti māṁ yo ’bhijānāti karmabhir na sa badhyate The law of karma enacted by the Supreme Lord for the living entities cannot be applicable to Him, nor has the Lord any desire to improve Himself by activities like those of ordinary living beings. Ordinary living beings work for the improvement of their conditional lives. But the Lord is already full of all opulence, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation. Why should He desire improvement? No one can excel Him in any opulence, and therefore the desire for improvement is absolutely useless for Him. One should always discriminate between the activities of the Lord and those of ordinary living beings. Thus one may come to the right conclusion regarding the Lord’s transcendental position. One who can come to the conclusion of the Lord’s transcendence can become a devotee of the Lord and can at once be free from all reactions of past deeds. It is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām: the Lord minimizes or nullifies the reactionary influence of the devotee’s past deeds. (Brahma-saṁhitā 5.54) The activities of the Lord are to be accepted and relished by all living entities. His activities are to attract the ordinary man towards the Lord. The Lord always acts in favor of the devotees, and therefore ordinary men who are fruitive actors or seekers of salvation may be attracted to the Lord when He acts as protector of the devotees. The fruitive actors can attain their goals by devotional service, and the salvationists can also attain their goal in life by devotional service to the Lord. The devotees do not want the fruitive results of their work, nor do they want any kind of salvation. They relish the glorious superhuman activities of the Lord, such as His lifting Govardhana Hill and His killing the demon Pūtanā in infancy. His activities are enacted to attract all kinds of men—karmīs, jñānīs and bhaktas. Because He is transcendental to all laws of karma, there is no possibility of His accepting a form of māyā as is forced on the ordinary living entities who are bound by the actions and reactions of their own deeds. The secondary purpose of His appearance is to annihilate the upstart asuras and to stop the nonsense of atheistic propaganda by less intelligent persons. By the Lord’s causeless mercy, the asuras who are killed personally by the Personality of Godhead get salvation. The meaningful appearance of the Lord is always distinct from ordinary birth. Even the pure devotees have no connection with the material body, and certainly the Lord, who appears as He is, in His sac-cid-ānanda form, is not limited by a material form. |
TaSYa Pa[Paàai%l/l/aek-PaaNaa‚ MaviSQaTaaNaaMaNauXaaSaNae Sve ) AQaaRYa JaaTaSYa YaduZvJaSYa vaTaa| Sa%e k-ITaRYa TaqQaRk-ITaeR" )) 45 )) tasya prapannākhila-lokapānām avasthitānām anuśāsane sve arthāya jātasya yaduṣv ajasya vārtāṁ sakhe kīrtaya tīrtha-kīrteḥ SYNONYMS tasya—His; prapanna—surrendered; akhila-loka-pānām—all rulers of the entire universe; avasthitānām—situated in; anuśāsane—under the control of; sve—own self; arthāya—for the interest of; jātasya—of the born; yaduṣu—in the family of the Yadus; ajasya—of the unborn; vārtām—topics; sakhe—O my friend; kīrtaya—please narrate; tīrtha-kīrteḥ—of the Lord, whose glories are chanted in the places of pilgrimage. TRANSLATION O my friend, please, therefore, chant the glories of the Lord, who is meant to be glorified in the places of pilgrimage. He is unborn, and yet He appears by His causeless mercy upon the surrendered rulers of all parts of the universe. Only for their interest did He appear in the family of His unalloyed devotees the Yadus. PURPORT There are innumerable rulers all over the universe in different varieties of planets: the sun-god in the sun planet, the moon-god in the moon planet, Indra in the heavenly planet, Vāyu, Varuṇa, and those in the Brahmaloka planet, where Lord Brahmā is living. All are obedient servants of the Lord. Whenever there is any trouble in the administration of the innumerable planets in different universes, the rulers pray for an appearance, and the Lord appears. The Bhāgavatam (1.3.28) has already confirmed this in the following verse: ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge In every millennium, whenever there is any trouble for the obedient rulers, the Lord appears. He also appears for the sake of His pure unalloyed devotees. The surrendered rulers and the pure devotees are always strictly under the control of the Lord, and they are never disobedient to the desires of the Lord. The Lord is therefore always attentive to them. The purpose of pilgrimages is to remember the Lord constantly, and therefore the Lord is known as tīrtha-kīrti. The purpose of going to a place of pilgrimage is to get the chance to glorify the Lord. Even today, although times have changed, there are still pilgrimage sites in India. For example, in Mathurā and Vṛndāvana, where we had a chance to stay, people are awake from early in the morning at 4 A.M. up until nighttime and are constantly engaged, some way or other, in chanting the holy glories of the Lord. The beauty of such a pilgrimage site is that automatically one remembers the holy glories of the Lord. His name, fame, quality, form, pastimes and entourage are all identical to the Lord, and therefore chanting the glories of the Lord invokes the personal presence of the Lord. Any time or anywhere pure devotees meet and chant the glories of the Lord, the Lord is present without any doubt. It is said by the Lord Himself that He always stays where His pure devotees chant His glories. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, First Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Questions by Vidura.” |
TEXT 2 Ya" PaÄhaYaNaae Maa}aa Pa[aTaraXaaYa YaaicTa" ) TaàEC^d]cYaNa( YaSYa SaPaYaa| bal/l/Il/Yaa )) 2 )) yaḥ pañca-hāyano mātrā prātar-āśāya yācitaḥ tan naicchad racayan yasya saparyāṁ bāla-līlayā SYNONYMS yaḥ—one who; pañca—five; hāyanaḥ—years old; mātrā—by his mother; prātaḥ-āśāya—for breakfast; yācitaḥ—called for; tat—that; na—not; aicchat—liked; racayan—playing; yasya—whose; saparyām—service; bāla-līlayā—childhood. TRANSLATION He was one who even in his childhood, at the age of five years, was so absorbed in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa that when he was called by his mother for morning breakfast, he did not wish to have it. PURPORT From his very birth, Uddhava was a natural devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, or a nitya-siddha, a liberated soul. From natural instinct he used to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa, even in his childhood. He used to play with dolls in the form of Kṛṣṇa, he would serve the dolls by dressing, feeding and worshiping them, and thus he was constantly absorbed in the play of transcendental realization. These are the signs of an eternally liberated soul. An eternally liberated soul is a devotee of the Lord who never forgets Him. Human life is meant for reviving one’s eternal relation with the Lord, and all religious injunctions are meant for awakening this dormant instinct of the living entity. The sooner this awakening is brought about, the quicker the mission of human life is fulfilled. In a good family of devotees, the child gets the opportunity to serve the Lord in many ways. A soul who is already advanced in devotional service has the opportunity to take birth in such an enlightened family. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (6.41). Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo ’bhijāyate: even the fallen devotee gets the opportunity to take his birth in the family of a well-situated brāhmaṇa or in a rich, well-to-do mercantile family. In both these families there is a good opportunity to revive one’s sense of God consciousness automatically because particularly in these families the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa is regularly performed and the child gets the opportunity to imitate the process of worship called arcanā. The pāñcarātrikī formula for training persons in devotional service is temple worship, whereby the neophytes get the opportunity to learn devotional service to the Lord. Mahārāja Parīkṣit also used to play with Kṛṣṇa dolls in his childhood. In India the children in good families are still given dolls of the Lord like Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, or sometimes the demigods, so that they may develop the aptitude of service to the Lord. By the grace of the Lord we were given the same opportunity by our parents, and the beginning of our life was based on this principle. |
TEXT 8 du>aRGaae bTa l/aek-ae_Ya& Yadvae iNaTaraMaiPa ) Yae Sa&vSaNTaae Na ivduhRir„& MaqNaa wvae@uPaMa( )) 8 )) durbhago bata loko ’yaṁ yadavo nitarām api ye saṁvasanto na vidur hariṁ mīnā ivoḍupam SYNONYMS durbhagaḥ—unfortunate; bata—certainly; lokaḥ—universe; ayam—this; yadavaḥ—the Yadu dynasty; nitarām—more specifically; api—also; ye—those; saṁvasantaḥ—living together; na—did not; viduḥ—understand; harim—the Personality of Godhead; mīnāḥ—the fishes; iva uḍupam—like the moon. TRANSLATION This universe with all its planets is most unfortunate. And even more unfortunate are the members of the Yadu dynasty because they could not identify Lord Hari as the Personality of Godhead, any more than the fish could identify the moon. PURPORT Uddhava lamented for the unfortunate persons of the world who could not recognize Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa in spite of seeing all His transcendental godly qualities. From the very beginning of His appearance within the prison bars of King Kaṁsa up to His mausala-līlā, although He exhibited His potencies as the Personality of Godhead in the six opulences of wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, the foolish persons of the world could not understand that He was the Supreme Lord, Foolish persons might have thought Him an extraordinary historic figure because they had no intimate touch with the Lord, but more unfortunate were the family members of the Lord, the members of the Yadu dynasty, who were always in company with the Lord but were unable to recognize Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Uddhava lamented his own fortune also because although he knew Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he could not properly use the opportunity to render devotional service to the Lord. He regretted everyone’s misfortune, including his own. The pure devotee of the Lord thinks himself most unfortunate. That is due to excessive love for the Lord and is one of the transcendental perceptions of viraha, the suffering of separation. It is learned from the revealed scriptures that the moon was born from the milk ocean. There is a milk ocean in the upper planets, and there Lord Viṣṇu, who controls the heart of every living being as Paramātmā (the Supersoul), resides as the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Those who do not believe in the existence of the ocean of milk because they have experience only of the salty water in the ocean should know that the world is also called the go, which means the cow. The urine of a cow is salty, and according to Āyur-vedic medicine the cow’s urine is very effective in treating patients suffering from liver trouble. Such patients may not have any experience of the cow’s milk because milk is never given to liver patients. But the liver patient may know that the cow has milk also, although he has never tasted it. Similarly, men who have experience only of this tiny planet where the saltwater ocean exists may take information from the revealed scriptures that there is also an ocean of milk, although we have never seen it. From this ocean of milk the moon was born, but the fish in the milk ocean could not recognize that the moon. was not another fish and was different from them. The fish took the moon to be one of them or maybe something illuminating, but nothing more. The unfortunate persons who do not recognize Lord Kṛṣṇa are like such fish. They take Him to be one of them, although a little extraordinary in opulence, strength, etc. The Bhagavad-gītā (9.11) confirms such foolish persons to be most unfortunate: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam. |
TEXT 13 YaÖMaRSaUNaaebRTa raJaSaUYae iNarq+Ya d*KSvSTYaYaNa& i}al/aek-" ) k-aTSNYaeRNa caÛeh GaTa& ivDaaTau‚ rvaRKSa*TaaE k-aEXal/iMaTYaMaNYaTa )) 13 )) yad dharma-sūnor bata rājasūye nirīkṣya dṛk-svastyayanaṁ tri-lokaḥ kārtsnyena cādyeha gataṁ vidhātur arvāk-sṛtau kauśalam ity amanyata SYNONYMS yat—the form which; dharma-sūnoḥ—of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira; bata—certainly; rājasūye—in the arena of the rājasūya sacrifice; nirīkṣya—by observing; dṛk—sight; svastyayanam—pleasing; tri-lokaḥ—the three worlds; kārtsnyena—in sum total; ca—thus; adya—today; iha—within the universe; gatam—surpassed; vidhātuḥ—of the creator (Brahmā); arvāk—recent mankind; sṛtau—in the material world; kauśalam—dexterity; iti—thus; amanyata—contemplated. TRANSLATION All the demigods from the upper, lower and middle universal planetary systems assembled at the altar of the rājasūya sacrifice performed by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. After seeing the beautiful bodily features of Lord Kṛṣṇa, they all contemplated that He was the ultimate dexterous creation of Brahmā, the creator of human beings. PURPORT There was nothing comparable to the bodily features of Lord Kṛṣṇa when He was present in this world. The most beautiful object in the material world may be compared to the blue lotus flower or the full moon in the sky, but even the lotus flower and the moon were defeated by the beauty of the bodily features of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and this was certified by the demigods, the most beautiful living creatures in the universe. The demigods thought that Lord Kṛṣṇa, like themselves, was also created by Lord Brahmā, but in fact Brahmā was created by Lord Kṛṣṇa. It was not within the power of Brahmā to create the transcendental beauty of the Supreme Lord. No one is the creator of Kṛṣṇa; rather, He is the creator of everyone. As He says in Bhagavad-gītā (10.8), ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. |
Maa& %edYaTYaeTadJaSYa JaNMa‚ iv@MbNa& YaÜSaudevGaehe ) v]Jae c vaSaae_ir>aYaaidv SvYa& Paurad( VYavaTSaqÛdNaNTavqYaR" )) 16 )) māṁ khedayaty etad ajasya janma- viḍambanaṁ yad vasudeva-gehe vraje ca vāso ’ri-bhayād iva svayaṁ purād vyavātsīd yad-ananta-vīryaḥ SYNONYMS mām—to me; khedayati—gives me distress; etat—this; ajasya—of the unborn; janma—birth; viḍambanam—bewildering; yat—that; vasudeva-gehe—in the home of Vasudeva; vraje—in Vṛndāvana; ca—also; vāsaḥ—inhabitation; ari—enemy; bhayāt—because of fear; iva—as if; svayam—Himself; purāt—from Mathurā Purī; vyavātsīt—fled; yat—one who is; ananta-vīryaḥ—unlimitedly powerful. TRANSLATION When I think of Lord Kṛṣṇa—how He was born in the prison house of Vasudeva although He is unborn, how He went away from His father’s protection to Vraja and lived there incognito out of fear of the enemy, and how, although unlimitedly powerful, He fled from Mathurā in fear—all these bewildering incidents give me distress. PURPORT Because Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original person from whom everything and everyone has emanated—ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (Bg. 10.8), janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1] (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.2)—nothing can be equal to or greater than Him. The Lord is supremely perfect, and whenever He enacts His transcendental pastimes as a son, a rival or an object of enmity, He plays the part so perfectly that even pure devotees like Uddhava are bewildered. For example, Uddhava knew perfectly well that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is eternally existent and can neither die nor disappear for good, yet he lamented for Lord Kṛṣṇa. All these events are perfect arrangements to give perfection to His supreme glories. It is for enjoyment’s sake. When a father plays with his little son and the father lies down on the floor as if defeated by the son, it is just to give the little son pleasure, and nothing more. Because the Lord is all-powerful, it is possible for Him to adjust opposites such as birth and no birth, power and defeat, fear and fearlessness. A pure devotee knows very well how it is possible for the Lord to adjust opposite things, but he laments for the nondevotees who, not knowing the supreme glories of the Lord, think of Him as imaginary simply because there are so many apparently contradictory statements in the scriptures. Factually there is nothing contradictory; everything is possible when we understand the Lord as the Lord and not as one of us, with all our imperfection. |
TEXT 22 TataSYa kE-ªYaRMal&/ >a*Taaàae ivGl/aPaYaTYa(r) YaduGa]SaeNaMa( ) iTaïiàz<<a& ParMaeiïiDaZ<Yae NYabaeDaYaÕev iNaDaarYaeiTa )) 22 )) tat tasya kaiṅkaryam alaṁ bhṛtān no viglāpayaty aṅga yad ugrasenam tiṣṭhan niṣaṇṇaṁ parameṣṭhi-dhiṣṇye nyabodhayad deva nidhārayeti SYNONYMS tat—therefore; tasya—His; kaiṅkaryam—service; alam—of course; bhṛtān—the servitors; naḥ—us; viglāpayati—gives pain; aṅga—O Vidura; yat—as much as; ugrasenam—unto King Ugrasena; tiṣṭhan—being seated; niṣaṇṇam—waiting upon Him; parameṣṭhi-dhiṣṇye—on the royal throne; nyabodhayat—submitted; deva—addressing my Lord; nidhāraya—please know it; iti—thus. TRANSLATION Therefore, O Vidura, does it not pain us, His servitors, when we remember that He [Lord Kṛṣṇa] used to stand before King Ugrasena, who was sitting on the royal throne, and used to submit explanations before him, saying, “O My lord, please let it be known to you”? PURPORT Lord Kṛṣṇa’s gentle behavior before His so-called superiors such as His father, grandfather and elder brother, His amiable behavior with His so-called wives, friends and contemporaries, His behavior as a child before His mother Yaśodā, and His naughty dealings with His young girl friends cannot bewilder a pure devotee like Uddhava. Others, who are not devotees, are bewildered by such behavior of the Lord, who acted just like a human being. This bewilderment is explained by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā (9.11) as follows: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto mama bhūta-maheśvaram Persons with a poor fund of knowledge belittle the Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, not knowing His exalted position as the Lord of everything. In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord has explained His position clearly, but the demoniac atheistic student squeezes out an interpretation to suit his own purpose and misleads unfortunate followers into the same mentality. Such unfortunate persons merely pick up some slogans from the great book of knowledge, but are unable to estimate the Lord as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pure devotees like Uddhava, however, are never misled by such atheistic opportunists. |
TEXT 25 vSaudevSYa devKYaa& JaaTaae >aaeJaeNd]bNDaNae ) ick-IzuR>aRGavaNaSYaa" XaMaJaeNaai>aYaaicTa" )) 25 )) vasudevasya devakyāṁ jāto bhojendra-bandhane cikīrṣur bhagavān asyāḥ śam ajenābhiyācitaḥ SYNONYMS vasudevasya—of the wife of Vasudeva; devakyām—in the womb of Devakī; jātaḥ—born of; bhoja-indra—of the King of the Bhojas; bandhane—in the prison house; cikīrṣuḥ—for doing; bhagavān—the Personality of Godhead; asyāḥ—of the earth; śam—welfare; ajena—by Brahmā; abhiyācitaḥ—being prayed for. TRANSLATION The Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, being prayed to by Brahmā to bring welfare to the earth, was begotten by Vasudeva in the womb of his wife Devakī in the prison of the King of Bhoja. PURPORT Although there is no difference between the Lord’s pastimes of appearance and disappearance, the devotees of the Lord do not generally discuss the subject matter of His disappearance. Vidura inquired indirectly from Uddhava about the incident of the Lord’s disappearance by asking him to relate kṛṣṇa-kathā, or topics on the history of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus Uddhava began the topics from the very beginning of His appearance as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī in the prison of Kaṁsa, the King of the Bhojas, at Mathurā. The Lord has no business in this world, but when He is so requested by devotees like Brahmā, He descends on the earth for the welfare of the entire universe. This is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8): paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām/ dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge. |
ik-YaaNa( >auvae_Ya& +aiPaTaaeå>aarae YaO_ae<a>aqZMaaJauRNa>aqMaMaUlE/" ) AíadXaa+aaEihi<ak-ae Mad&XaE‚ raSTae bl&/ duivRzh& YadUNaaMa( )) 14 )) kiyān bhuvo ’yaṁ kṣapitoru-bhāro yad droṇa-bhīṣmārjuna-bhīma-mūlaiḥ aṣṭādaśākṣauhiṇiko mad-aṁśair āste balaṁ durviṣahaṁ yadūnām SYNONYMS kiyān—what is this; bhuvaḥ—of the earth; ayam—this; kṣapita—abated; uru—very great; bhāraḥ—burden; yat—which; droṇa—Droṇa; bhīṣma—Bhīṣma; arjuna—Arjuna; bhīma—Bhīma; mūlaiḥ—with the help; aṣṭādaśa—eighteen; akṣauhiṇikaḥ—phalanxes of military strength (vide Bhāg. 1.16.34); mat-aṁśaiḥ—with My descendants; āste—are still there; balam—great strength; durviṣaham—unbearable; yadūnām—of the Yadu dynasty. TRANSLATION [After the end of the Battle of Kurukṣetra, the Lord said:] The abatement of the earth’s great burden, eighteen akṣauhiṇīs, has now been effected with the help of Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Arjuna and Bhīma. But what is this? There is still the great strength of the Yadu dynasty, born of Myself, which may be a more unbearable burden. PURPORT It is a wrong theory that due to an increase in population the world becomes overburdened and therefore there are wars and other annihilating processes. The earth is never overburdened. The heaviest mountains and oceans on the face of the earth hold more living entities than there are human beings, and they are not overburdened. If a census were taken of all the living beings on the surface of the earth, certainly it would be found that the number of humans is not even five percent of the total number of living beings. If the birthrate of human beings is increasing, then the birthrate of other living beings is increasing proportionately. The birthrate of lower animals—beasts, aquatics, birds, etc.—is far greater than that of human beings. There is an adequate arrangement for food for all the living beings all over the earth by the order of the Supreme Lord, and He can arrange more and more if there is actually a disproportionate increase of living beings. Therefore, there is no question of an increase in population causing a burden. The earth became overburdened due to dharma-glāni, or irregular discharge of the Lord’s desire. The Lord appeared on the earth to curb the increase in miscreants, and not the increase in population, as is wrongly put forward by the mundane economist. When Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared, there had been a sufficient increase in miscreants who had violated the desire of the Lord. The material creation is meant for fulfilling the desire of the Lord, and His desire is that the conditioned souls who are unfit to enter into the kingdom of God have a chance to improve their conditions for entering. The entire process of cosmic arrangement is intended just to give a chance to the conditioned souls to enter the kingdom of God, and there is an adequate arrangement for their maintenance by the nature of the Lord. Therefore, although there may be a great increase in population on the surface of the earth, if the people are exactly in line with God consciousness and are not miscreants, such a burden on the earth is a source of pleasure for her. There are two kinds of burdens. There is the burden of the beast and the burden of love. The burden of the beast is unbearable, but the burden of love is a source of pleasure. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī describes the burden of love very practically. He says that the burden of the husband on the young wife, the burden of the child on the lap of the mother, and the burden of wealth on the businessman, although actually burdens from the viewpoint of heaviness, are sources of pleasure, and in the absence of such burdensome objects, one may feel the burden of separation, which is heavier to bear than the actual burden of love. When Lord Kṛṣṇa referred to the burden of the Yadu dynasty on the earth, He referred to something different than the burden of the beast. The large numbers of family members born of Lord Kṛṣṇa counted to some millions and were certainly a great increase in the population of the earth, but because all of them were expansions of the Lord Himself by His transcendental plenary expansions, they were a source of great pleasure for the earth. When the Lord referred to them in connection with the burden on the earth, He had in mind their imminent disappearance from the earth. All the members of the family of Lord Kṛṣṇa were incarnations of different demigods, and they were to disappear from the surface of the earth along with the Lord. When He referred to the unbearable heaviness on the earth in connection with the Yadu dynasty, He was referring to the burden of their separation. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī confirms this inference. |
TEXT 23 dEvaDaqNaezu k-aMaezu dEvaDaqNa" SvYa& PauMaaNa( ) k-ae ivé[M>aeTa YaaeGaeNa YaaeGaeìrMaNauv]Ta" )) 23 )) daivādhīneṣu kāmeṣu daivādhīnaḥ svayaṁ pumān ko viśrambheta yogena yogeśvaram anuvrataḥ SYNONYMS daiva—supernatural; adhīneṣu—being controlled; kāmeṣu—in sense enjoyment; daiva-adhīnaḥ—controlled by supernatural force; svayam—himself; pumān—living entity; kaḥ—whoever; viśrambheta—can have faith in; yogena—by devotional service; yogeśvaram—the Supreme Lord; anuvrataḥ—serving. TRANSLATION Every living entity is controlled by a supernatural force, and thus his sense enjoyment is also under the control of that supernatural force. No one, therefore, can put his faith in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental sense activities but one who has become a devotee of the Lord by rendering devotional service. PURPORT As stated in Bhagavad-gītā no one can understand the transcendental birth and activities of the Lord. The same fact is herein corroborated: no one but one who is enlightened by the devotional service of the Lord can understand the difference between the Lord’s activities and those of others, who are controlled by the supernatural force. The sense enjoyment of all animals, men and demigods within the purview of the material universe is controlled by the supernatural force called the prakṛti, or daivī-māyā. No one is independent in obtaining sense enjoyment, and everyone in this material world is after sense enjoyment. Persons who are themselves under the control of supernatural power cannot believe that Lord Kṛṣṇa is not under any control beyond Himself in the matter of sense enjoyment. They cannot understand that His senses are transcendental. In the Brahma-saṁhitā the Lord’s senses are described as omnipotent; i.e., with any sense He can perform the activities of the other senses. One who has limited senses cannot believe that the Lord can eat by His transcendental power of hearing and can perform the act of sex life simply by seeing. The controlled living entity cannot even dream of such sense activities in his conditional life. But simply by the activities of bhakti-yoga, he can understand that the Lord and His activities are always transcendental. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: one cannot know even a fraction of the activities of the Lord if he is not a pure devotee of the Lord. |
TEXT 28 Aà& caeårSa& Tae>Yaae dtva >aGavdPaR<aMa( ) GaaeivPa[aQaaRSav" éUra" Pa[<aeMau>auRiv MaUDaRi>a" )) 28 )) annaṁ coru-rasaṁ tebhyo dattvā bhagavad-arpaṇam go-viprārthāsavaḥ śūrāḥ praṇemur bhuvi mūrdhabhiḥ SYNONYMS annam—foodstuff; ca—also; uru-rasam—highly delicious; tebhyaḥ—unto the brāhmaṇas; dattvā—after supplying; bhagavat-arpaṇam—which was first offered to the Personality of Godhead; go—cows; vipra—brāhmaṇas; artha—purpose; asavaḥ—purpose of living; śūrāḥ—all the valiant kṣatriyas; praṇemuḥ—offered obeisances; bhuvi—touching the ground; mūrdhabhiḥ—with their heads. TRANSLATION Thereafter they offered the brāhmaṇas highly delicious foodstuffs first offered to the Personality of Godhead and offered their respectful obeisances by touching their heads to the ground. They lived perfectly by protecting the cows and the brāhmaṇas. PURPORT The behavior exhibited by the descendants of Yadu in the pilgrimage site of Prabhāsa was highly cultured and exactly to the point of human perfection. The perfection of human life is attained by following three principles of civilization: protecting the cows, maintaining the brahminical culture and, above all, becoming a pure devotee of the Lord. Without becoming a devotee of the Lord, one cannot perfect one’s human life. The perfection of human life is to be elevated to the spiritual world, where there is no birth, no death, no disease and no old age. That is the highest perfectional aim of human life. Without this aim, any amount of material advancement in so-called comforts can only bring the defeat of the human form of life. Brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas do not accept any foodstuff which is not first offered to the Personality of Godhead. Foodstuff offered to the Lord is accepted by the devotees as the mercy of the Lord. After all, the Lord supplies all kinds of foodstuff, both to the human being and to other animals. A human being must be conscious of the fact that all foodstuffs, namely grains, vegetables, milk, water, etc.—the prime necessities of life—are supplied for mankind by the Lord, and such foodstuffs cannot be manufactured by any scientist or materialist in a laboratory or factory established by human effort. The intelligent class of men are called brāhmaṇas, and those who have realized the Absolute Truth in His supreme personal feature are called Vaiṣṇavas. But both of them accept foodstuffs which are the remnants of sacrifice. Sacrifice is ultimately meant to satisfy the yajña-puruṣa, Viṣṇu. In Bhagavad-gītā (3.13) it is said that one who accepts foodstuffs as the remnants of sacrifice is freed from all sinful reactions, and one who cooks foodstuffs for maintenance of his body takes in all kinds of sins, which lead only to suffering. The foodstuffs prepared by the Yadus at the Prabhāsa pilgrimage site to offer to the bona fide brāhmaṇas there were all offered to the Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. The Yadus offered their sincere obeisances by touching their heads to the ground. The Yadus or any enlightened family in Vedic culture are trained for attainment of human perfection by total cooperation of service between the different divisions of social orders. The word uru-rasam is also significant here. Hundreds of delicacies can be prepared simply by the combination of grains, vegetables and milk. All such preparations are in the mode of goodness and therefore may be offered to the Personality of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.26), the Lord accepts only foodstuffs which are within the range of fruits, flowers, leaves and liquids, provided they are offered in complete devotional service. Devotional service is the only criterion for a bona fide offering to the Lord. The Lord assures that He positively eats such foodstuffs offered by the devotees. So, judging from all sides, the Yadus were perfectly trained civilized persons, and their being cursed by the brāhmaṇa sages was only by the desire of the Lord; the whole incident was a warning to all concerned that no one should behave lightly with brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Lord’s pastimes Out of Vṛndāvana.” |
TEXT 11 é[q>aGavaNauvac vedahMaNTaMaRNaSaqiPSaTa& Tae ddaiMa Yatad( durvaPaMaNYaE" ) Sa}ae Paura ivìSa*Jaa& vSaUNaa& MaiTSaiÖk-aMaeNa vSaae TvYaeí" )) 11 )) śrī-bhagavān uvāca vedāham antar manasīpsitaṁ te dadāmi yat tad duravāpam anyaiḥ satre purā viśva-sṛjāṁ vasūnāṁ mat-siddhi-kāmena vaso tvayeṣṭaḥ SYNONYMS śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Personality of Godhead said; veda—know; aham—I; antaḥ—within; manasi—the mind; īpsitam—what you desired; te—your; dadāmi—I give you; yat—which is; tat—that; duravāpam—very difficult to achieve; anyaiḥ—by others; satre—in the sacrifice; purā—in the days of yore; viśva-sṛjām—of those who expanded this creation; vasūnām—of the Vasus; mat-siddhi-kāmena—with a desire to achieve My association; vaso—O Vasu; tvayā—by you; iṣṭaḥ—ultimate goal of life. TRANSLATION O Vasu, I know from within your mind what you desired in the days of yore when the Vasus and other demigods responsible for expanding the universal affairs performed sacrifices. You particularly desired to achieve My association. This is very difficult to obtain for others, but I award it unto you. PURPORT Uddhava is one of the eternal associates of the Lord, and a plenary portion of Uddhava was one of the eight Vasus in the days of yore. The eight Vasus and the demigods in the upper planetary system, who are responsible for the management of the universal affairs, performed a sacrifice in the days of yore, desiring to fulfill their respective ultimate goals in life. At that time an expansion of Uddhava, acting as one of the Vasus, desired to become an associate of the Lord. The Lord knew this because He is present in the heart of every living entity as Paramātmā, the Superconsciousness. In everyone’s heart there is the representation of the Superconsciousness, who gives memory to the partial consciousness of every living entity. The living entity, as partial consciousness, forgets incidents of his past life, but the Superconsciousness reminds him how to act in terms of his past cultivation of knowledge. Bhagavad-gītā confirms this fact in various ways: ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (Bg. 4.11), sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (Bg. 15.15). Everyone is at liberty to desire as he likes, but the desire is fulfilled by the Supreme Lord. Everyone is independent to think or desire, but the fulfillment of one’s desire depends on the supreme will. This law is expressed as “Man proposes, God disposes.” In the days of yore, when the demigods and Vasus performed sacrifice, Uddhava, as one of the Vasus, desired to enter into the association of the Lord, which is very difficult for those busy in empiric philosophical speculation or fruitive activities. Such persons have practically no information of the facts about becoming an associate of the Lord. Only the pure devotees can know, by the mercy of the Lord, that the personal association of the Lord is the highest perfection of life. The Lord assured Uddhava that He would fulfill his desire. It appears that when the Lord informed him by His indication to Uddhava, the great sage Maitreya finally became aware of the importance of entering into the association of the Lord. |
k-MaaR<YaNaqhSYa >avae_>avSYa Tae duGaaRé[Yaae_Qaair>aYaaTPal/aYaNaMa( ) k-al/aTMaNaae YaTPa[MadaYauTaaé[Ma" SvaTMaNa]Tae" i%ÛiTa DaqivRdaiMah )) 16 )) karmāṇy anīhasya bhavo ’bhavasya te durgāśrayo ’thāri-bhayāt palāyanam kālātmano yat pramadā-yutāśramaḥ svātman-rateḥ khidyati dhīr vidām iha SYNONYMS karmāṇi—activities; anīhasya—of one who has no desire; bhavaḥ—birth; abhavasya—of one who is never born; te—your; durga-āśrayaḥ—taking shelter of the fort; atha—thereafter; ari-bhayāt—out of fear of the enemies; palāyanam—flee; kāla-ātmanaḥ—of He who is the controller of eternal time; yat—that; pramadā-āyuta—in the association of women; āśramaḥ—household life; sva-ātman—in Your own Self; rateḥ—one who enjoys; khidyati—is disturbed; dhīḥ—intelligence; vidām—of the learned; iha—in this world. TRANSLATION My Lord, even the learned sages become disturbed in their intelligence when they see that Your Greatness engages in fruitive work although You are free from all desires, that You take birth although You are unborn, that You flee out of fear of the enemy and take shelter in a fort although You are the controller of invincible time, and that You enjoy householder life surrounded by many women although You enjoy in Your Self. PURPORT Pure devotees of the Lord are not very much concerned with philosophical speculation in regard to transcendental knowledge of the Lord. Nor is it possible to acquire complete knowledge of the Lord. Whatever little knowledge they have about the Lord is sufficient for them because devotees are simply satisfied in hearing and chanting about the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. This gives them all transcendental bliss. But some of the pastimes of the Lord appear contradictory, even to such pure devotees, and thus Uddhava asked the Lord about some of the contradictory incidents in His pastimes. The Lord is described as having nothing to do personally, and it is actually so because even in the creation and sustenance of the material world, the Lord has nothing to do. It seems contradictory, then, to hear that the Lord personally lifts the Govardhana Hill for the protection of His unalloyed devotees. The Lord is the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead appearing like a man, but Uddhava had doubts whether He could have so many transcendental activities. There is no difference between the Personality of Godhead and the impersonal Brahman. How then can the Lord have so many things to do, whereas the impersonal Brahman is stated to have nothing to do either materially or spiritually? If the Lord is ever unborn, how then is He born as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī? He is fearful even to kāla, the supreme fear, and yet the Lord is afraid of fighting Jarāsandha and takes shelter in a fort. How can one who is full in Himself take pleasure in the association of many women? How can He take wives and, just like a householder, take pleasure in the association of family members, children, relatives and parents? All these apparently contradictory happenings bewilder even the greatest learned scholars, who, thus bewildered, cannot understand whether inactivity is a fact or whether His activities are only imitations. The solution is that the Lord has nothing to do with anything mundane. All His activities are transcendental. This cannot be understood by the mundane speculators. For the mundane speculators there is certainly a kind of bewilderment, but for the transcendental devotees there is nothing astonishing in this. The Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth is certainly the negation of all mundane activities, but the Parabrahman conception is full with transcendental activities. One who knows the distinctions between the conception of Brahman and the conception of Supreme Brahman is certainly the real transcendentalist. There is no bewilderment for such transcendentalists. The Lord Himself also declares in Bhagavad-gītā (10.2), “Even the great sages and demigods can know hardly anything about My activities and transcendental potencies.” The right explanation of the Lord’s activities is given by Grandfather Bhīṣmadeva (Bhāg. 1.9.16) as follows: na hy asya karhicid rājan pumān veda vidhitsitam yad-vijijñāsayā yuktā muhyanti kavayo ’pi hi |
TEXT 19 wTYaaveidTahadaRYa Maù& Sa >aGavaNa( Par" ) AaiddeXaarivNda+a AaTMaNa" ParMaa& iSQaiTaMa( )) 19 )) ity āvedita-hārdāya mahyaṁ sa bhagavān paraḥ ādideśāravindākṣa ātmanaḥ paramāṁ sthitim SYNONYMS iti āvedita—thus being prayed to by me; hārdāya—from the core of my heart; mahyam—unto me; saḥ—He; bhagavān—the Personality of Godhead; paraḥ—Supreme; ādideśa—instructed; aravinda-akṣaḥ—the lotus-eyed; ātmanaḥ—of Himself; paramām—transcendental; sthitim—situation. TRANSLATION When I thus expressed my heartfelt desires unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the lotus-eyed Lord instructed me about His transcendental situation. PURPORT The words paramāṁ sthitim are significant in this verse. The Lord’s transcendental situation was not even spoken of to Brahmā when the four verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.9.33–36) were explained. This transcendental situation comprises His dealings with devotees engaged in transcendental loving service, as exhibited at Dvārakā and Vṛndāvana. When the Lord explained His specific transcendental situation, it was meant for Uddhava only, and therefore Uddhava particularly said mahyam (“unto me”), although the great sage Maitreya was also sitting there. Such a transcendental situation is hardly understood by those whose devotion is mixed with speculative knowledge or fruitive activities. The Lord’s activities in confidential love are very rarely disclosed to the general devotees who are attracted by devotion mixed with knowledge and mysticism. Such activities are the inconceivable pastimes of the Lord. |
TEXT 20 Sa WvMaaraiDaTaPaadTaqQaaR‚ dDaqTaTatvaTMaivbaeDaMaaGaR" ) Pa[<aMYa PaadaE Pairv*TYa dev‚ iMahaGaTaae_h& ivrhaTauraTMaa )) 20 )) sa evam ārādhita-pāda-tīrthād adhīta-tattvātma-vibodha-mārgaḥ praṇamya pādau parivṛtya devam ihāgato ’haṁ virahāturātmā SYNONYMS saḥ—so myself; evam—thus; ārādhita—worshiped; pāda-tīrthāt—from the Personality of Godhead; adhīta—studied; tattva-ātma—self-knowledge; vibodha—understanding; mārgaḥ—path; praṇamya—after saluting; pādau—at His lotus feet; parivṛtya—after circumambulating; devam—the Lord; iha—at this place; āgataḥ—reached; aham—I; viraha—separation; ātura-ātmā—aggrieved in self. TRANSLATION I have studied the path of understanding self-knowledge from my spiritual master, the Personality of Godhead, and thus after circumambulating Him I have come to this place, very much aggrieved due to separation. PURPORT Śrī Uddhava’s actual life is the direct symbol of the catuḥ-ślokī Bhāgavatam enunciated first to Brahmājī by the Personality of Godhead. These four very great and important verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are particularly taken out by the Māyāvādī speculators, who construe a different purport to suit their impersonal view of monism. Here is the proper answer to such unauthorized speculators. The verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are purely theistic science understandable by the postgraduate students of Bhagavad-gītā, The unauthorized dry speculators are offenders at the lotus feet of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa because they distort the purports of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to mislead the public and prepare a direct path to the hell known as Andha-tāmisra. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (16.20) such envious speculators are without knowledge and are surely condemned life after life. They unnecessarily take shelter of Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, but he was not so drastic as to commit an offense at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa. According to Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya preached the Māyāvāda philosophy for a particular purpose. Such a philosophy was necessary to defeat the Buddhist philosophy of the nonexistence of the spirit soul, but it was never meant for perpetual acceptance. It was an emergency. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa was accepted by Śaṅkarācārya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in his commentation on Bhagavad-gītā. Since he was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he did not dare write any commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam because that would have been a direct offense at the lotus feet of the Lord. But later speculators, in the name of Māyāvāda philosophy, unnecessarily make their commentary on the catuḥ-ślokī Bhāgavatam without any bona fide intent. The monistic dry speculators have no business in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam because this particular Vedic literature is forbidden for them by the great author himself. Śrīla Vyāsadeva has definitely forbidden persons engaged in religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and, finally, salvation, from trying to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is not meant for them (Bhāg. 1.1.2). Śrīpāda Śrīdhara Svāmī, the great commentator on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, has definitely forbidden the salvationists or monists to deal in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is not for them. Yet such unauthorized persons perversely try to understand Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and thus they commit offenses at the feet of the Lord, which even Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya dared not do. Thus they prepare for their continuation of miserable life. It should be particularly noted herein that Uddhava studied the catuḥ-ślokī Bhāgavatam directly from the Lord, who spoke them first to Brahmājī, and this time the Lord explained more confidentially the self-knowledge mentioned as the paramāṁ sthitim. Upon learning such self-knowledge of love, Uddhava felt very much aggrieved by feelings of separation from the Lord. Unless one is awakened to the stage of Uddhava—everlastingly feeling the separation of the Lord in transcendental love, as exhibited by Lord Caitanya also—one cannot understand the real import of the four essential verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. One should not indulge in the unauthorized act of twisting the meaning and thereby putting himself on the dangerous path of offense. |
TEXT 29 é[qéuk- ovac b]øXaaPaaPadeXaeNa k-ale/NaaMaaegavaiH^Ta" ) Sa&ôTYa Svku-l&/ Sf-ITa& TYa+YaNdehMaicNTaYaTa( )) 29 )) śrī-śuka uvāca brahma-śāpāpadeśena kālenāmogha-vāñchitaḥ saṁhṛtya sva-kulaṁ sphītaṁ tyakṣyan deham acintayat SYNONYMS śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; brahma-śāpa—cursing by the brāhmaṇas; apadeśena—on the plea, by such a show; kālena—by the eternal time; amogha—unfailing; vāñchitaḥ—one who so desires; saṁhṛtya—closing; sva-kulam—own family; sphītam—excessively numerous; tyakṣyan—after giving up; deham—the universal form; acintayat—thought to Himself. TRANSLATION Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied: My dear King, the cursing of the brāhmaṇas was only a plea, but the actual fact was the supreme desire of the Lord. He wanted to disappear from the face of the earth after dispatching His excessively numerous family members. He thought to Himself as follows. PURPORT In this verse the word tyakṣyan is very significant in relation to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s leaving His body. Since He is the eternal form of existence, knowledge and bliss, His body and His Self are identical. Therefore how is it possible that He would leave His body and then disappear from the vision of the world? There is a great controversy amongst the nondevotees or Māyāvādīs about the mysterious disappearance of the Lord, and the doubts of those men with a poor fund of knowledge have been very elaborately cleared by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in his Kṛṣṇa-sandarbha. According to Brahma-saṁhitā, the Lord has many forms. It is stated therein that the Lord has innumerable forms, and when He appears within the vision of the living entities, as Lord Kṛṣṇa actually appeared, all such forms amalgamate with Him. Besides all these infallible forms, He has His universal form, as manifested before Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Here in this verse the word sphītam is also used, which indicates that He left His gigantic universal form called the virāṭ-rūpa, not His primeval, eternal form, because there is hardly any possibility of His changing His form of sac-cid-ānanda. This simple understanding is at once realized by the devotees of the Lord, but those who are nondevotees, who perform hardly any devotional service to the Lord, either do not understand this simple fact or purposely raise a controversy to defeat the eternity of the transcendental body of the Lord. This is due to the defect called the cheating propensity of the imperfect living entities. By practical experience also, it is seen, up to the present day, that the Lord’s transcendental form is worshiped by devotees in different temples, and all the devotees of the Lord factually realize that the form of the Deity in the temple is nondifferent from the form of the Lord. This inconceivable performance of the internal potency of the Lord is described in Bhagavad-gītā (7.25): nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. The Lord reserves the right of not being exposed to everyone. In the Padma Purāṇa it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [BRS. 1.2.234]. The name and form of the Lord cannot be perceived by the material senses, but when He appears within the vision of the mundane people He assumes the form of the virāṭ-rūpa. This is an additional material exhibition of form and is supported by the logic of a subject and its adjectives. In grammar, when an adjective is taken away from the subject, the subject it modifies does not change. Similarly, when the Lord quits His virāṭ-rūpa, His eternal form does not change, although there is no material difference between Himself and any one of His innumerable forms. In the Fifth Canto it will be seen how the Lord is worshiped in different planets in His different forms, even now, and how He is worshiped in different temples of this earth also. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura have very elaborately explained this incident of the Lord’s disappearance in their commentaries, quoting various authentic versions of Vedic literatures. We purposely do not include them all here to avoid an increase in the volume of this book. The entire matter is explained in Bhagavad-gītā, as quoted above: the Lord reserves the right of not being exposed to everyone. He always keeps Himself out of the vision of the nondevotees, who are devoid of love and devotion, and thus He puts them still further away from the Lord. The Lord appeared on the invitation of Brahmā, who prayed before the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and therefore when the Lord appeared, all the forms of Viṣṇu amalgamated with Him, and when the mission was fulfilled, all of them disintegrated from Him in the usual course. |
ASMaaçaek-aduParTae MaiYa jaNa& Madaé[YaMa( ) AhRTYauÖv WvaÖa SaMPa[TYaaTMavTaa& vr" )) 30 )) asmāl lokād uparate mayi jñānaṁ mad-āśrayam arhaty uddhava evāddhā sampraty ātmavatāṁ varaḥ SYNONYMS asmāt—from this (universe); lokāt—earth; uparate—having disappeared; mayi—of Myself; jñānam—knowledge; mat-āśrayam—concerning Myself; arhati—deserves; uddhavaḥ—Uddhava; eva—certainly; addhā—directly; samprati—at the present moment; ātmavatām—of the devotees; varaḥ—foremost. TRANSLATION Now I shall leave the vision of this mundane world, and I see that Uddhava, the foremost of My devotees, is the only one who can be directly entrusted with knowledge about Me. PURPORT Jñānaṁ mad-āśrayam is significant in this verse. Transcendental knowledge has three departmental divisions, namely knowledge of impersonal Brahman, knowledge of the all-pervading Supersoul and knowledge of the Personality of Godhead. Out of the three, transcendental knowledge of the Personality of Godhead has special significance and is known as bhagavat-tattva-vijñāna, specific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead. This specific knowledge is realized by pure devotional service and no other means. Bhagavad-gītā (18.55) confirms this: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. “Only persons engaged in devotional service can factually know the transcendental position of the Lord.” Uddhava was considered to be the best amongst all devotees of that time, and therefore he was directly instructed by the Lord’s grace, so that people might take advantage of Uddhava’s knowledge after the disappearance of the Lord from the vision of the world. This is one of the reasons why Uddhava was advised to go to Badarikāśrama, where the Lord is personally represented by the Nara-Nārāyaṇa Deity. One who is transcendentally advanced can gain direct inspiration from the temple Deity, and thus a devotee of the Lord always takes shelter of a recognized temple of the Lord in order to make tangible advancement in transcendental knowledge by the grace of the Lord. |
dehNYaaSa& c TaSYaEv& Daqra<aa& DaEYaRvDaRNaMa( ) ANYaeza& duZk-rTar& PaéUNaa& iv(c)-vaTMaNaaMa( )) 34 )) deha-nyāsaṁ ca tasyaivaṁ dhīrāṇāṁ dhairya-vardhanam anyeṣāṁ duṣkarataraṁ paśūnāṁ viklavātmanām SYNONYMS deha-nyāsam—entering the body; ca—also; tasya—His; evam—also; dhīrāṇām—of great sages; dhairya—perseverance; vardhanam—increasing; anyeṣām—for others; duṣkara-taram—very difficult to ascertain; paśūnām—of the beasts; viklava—disturbed; ātmanām—of such a mind. TRANSLATION The Lord’s glorious acts and His acceptance of various transcendental forms for the performance of extraordinary pastimes in the mortal world are very difficult for anyone other than His devotees to understand, and for the beasts they are simply a mental disturbance. PURPORT The transcendental forms and pastimes of the Lord, as described in Bhagavad-gītā, are difficult subject matters for those who are not devotees to understand. The Lord never reveals Himself to persons like the jñānīs and yogīs. And there are others who, because of their envying the Lord from the bottom of their hearts, are classified amongst the beasts, and for such envious beasts the subject matter of the Lord’s appearance and disappearance is simply a mental disturbance. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.15), the miscreants who are simply concerned with material enjoyment, who work very hard like beasts of burden, can hardly know the Personality of Godhead at any stage due to āsurika-bhāva, or a spirit of revolt against the Supreme Lord. The transcendental bodily expansions manifested by the Lord for His pastimes in the mortal world, and the appearance and disappearance of such transcendental expansions, are difficult subject matters, and those who are not devotees are advised not to discuss the Lord’s appearance and disappearance, lest they commit further offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord. The more they discuss the transcendental appearance and disappearance of the Lord in the asuric spirit, the more they enter into the darkest region of hell, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (16.20). Anyone who is against the transcendental loving service of the Lord is more or less a beastly creature, as confirmed in this verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. |
TEXT 4 TaTSaaDauvYaaRidXa vTMaR Xa& Na" Sa&raiDaTaae >aGavaNa( YaeNa Pau&SaaMa( ) ôid iSQaTaae YaC^iTa >ai¢-PaUTae jaNa& SaTatvaiDaGaMa& Paura<aMa( )) 4 )) tat sādhu-varyādiśa vartma śaṁ naḥ saṁrādhito bhagavān yena puṁsām hṛdi sthito yacchati bhakti-pūte jñānaṁ sa-tattvādhigamaṁ purāṇam SYNONYMS tat—therefore; sādhu-varya—O great one amongst the saints; ādiśa—please instruct; vartma—the path; śam—auspicious; naḥ—for us; saṁrādhitaḥ—being perfectly served; bhagavān—the Personality of Godhead; yena—by which; puṁsām—of the living entity; hṛdi sthitaḥ—residing in the heart; yacchati—awards; bhakti-pūte—unto the unalloyed devotee; jñānam—knowledge; sa—that; tattva—truth; adhigamam—by which one learns; purāṇam—authorized, old. TRANSLATION Therefore, O great sage, please give me instruction on the transcendental devotional service of the Lord, so that He who is situated in the heart of everyone can be pleased to impart, from within, knowledge of the Absolute Truth in terms of the ancient Vedic principles delivered only to those who are purified by the process of devotional service. PURPORT As already explained in the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Absolute Truth is realized in three different phases—although they are one and the same—in terms of the knower’s capacity to understand. The most capable transcendentalist is the pure devotee of the Lord, who is without any tinge of fruitive actions or philosophical speculation. By devotional service only does one’s heart become completely purified from all material coverings like karma, jñāna and yoga. Only in such a purified stage does the Lord, who is seated in everyone’s heart with the individual soul, give instruction so that the devotee can reach the ultimate destination of going back home, back to Godhead. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10): teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatām. Only when the Lord is satisfied with the devotional service of the devotee does He impart knowledge, as He did for Arjuna and Uddhava. The jñānīs, yogīs and karmīs cannot expect this direct cooperation of the Lord. They are not able to satisfy the Lord by transcendental loving service, nor do they believe in such service to the Lord. The bhakti process, as performed under the regulative principles of vaidhī-bhakti, or devotional service following the prescribed rules and regulations, is defined by the revealed scriptures and confirmed by great ācāryas. This practice can help the neophyte devotee to rise to the stage of rāga-bhakti, in which the Lord responds from within as the caitya-guru, or the spiritual master as Superconsciousness. All transcendentalists other than devotees make no distinction between the individual soul and the Supersoul because they miscalculate the Superconsciousness and the individual consciousness to be one and the same. Such miscalculation by the nondevotees makes them unfit to receive any direction from within, and therefore they are bereft of the direct cooperation of the Lord. After many, many births, when such a nondualist comes to sense that the Lord is worshipable and that the devotee is simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, then only can he surrender unto the Lord, Vāsudeva. Pure devotional service begins from that point. The process of understanding the Absolute Truth adopted by the misguided nondualist is very difficult, whereas the devotee’s way of understanding the Absolute Truth comes directly from the Lord, who is pleased by devotional service. On behalf of many neophyte devotees, Vidura, at the very first instance, inquired from Maitreya about the path of devotional service, by which the Lord, who is seated within the heart, can be pleased. |
TEXT 12 MauiNaivRv+au>aRGavd(Gau<aaNaa& Sa%aiPa Tae >aarTaMaah k*-Z<a" ) YaiSMaà*<aa& Ga]aMYaSau%aNauvadE‚ MaRiTaGa*RhqTaa Nau hre" k-QaaYaaMa( )) 12 )) munir vivakṣur bhagavad-guṇānāṁ sakhāpi te bhāratam āha kṛṣṇaḥ yasmin nṛṇāṁ grāmya-sukhānuvādair matir gṛhītā nu hareḥ kathāyām SYNONYMS muniḥ—the sage; vivakṣuḥ—described; bhagavat—of the Personality of Godhead; guṇānām—transcendental qualities; sakhā—friend; api—also; te—your; bhāratam—the Mahābhārata; āha—has described; kṛṣṇaḥ—Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa; yasmin—in which; nṛṇām—of the people; grāmya—worldly; sukha-anuvādaiḥ—pleasure derived from mundane topics; matiḥ—attention; gṛhītā nu—just to draw towards; hareḥ—of the Lord; kathāyām—speeches of (Bhagavad-gītā). TRANSLATION Your friend the great sage Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa has already described the transcendental qualities of the Lord in his great work the Mahābhārata. But the whole idea is to draw the attention of the mass of people to kṛṣṇa-kathā [Bhagavad-gītā] through their strong affinity for hearing mundane topics. PURPORT The great sage Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa is the author of all Vedic literature, of which his works Vedānta-sūtra, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Mahābhārata are very popular readings. As stated in Bhāgavatam (1.4.25), Śrīla Vyāsadeva compiled the Mahābhārata for the less intelligent class of men, who take more interest in mundane topics than in the philosophy of life. The Vedānta-sūtra was compiled for persons already above the mundane topics, who might already have tasted the bitterness of the so-called happiness of mundane affairs. The first aphorism of Vedānta-sūtra is athāto brahma jijñāsā, i.e., only when one has finished the business of mundane inquiries in the marketplace of sense gratification can one make relevant inquiries regarding Brahman, the Transcendence. Those persons who are busy with the mundane inquiries which fill the newspapers and other such literatures are classified as strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhus, or women, the laborer class and unworthy sons of the higher classes (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya). Such less intelligent men cannot understand the purpose of Vedānta-sūtra, although they may make a show of studying the sūtras in a perverted way. The real purpose of Vedānta-sūtra is explained by the author himself in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and anyone trying to understand Vedānta-sūtra without reference to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is certainly misguided. Such misguided persons, who are interested in the mundane affairs of philanthropic and altruistic work under the misconception of the body as the self, could better take advantage of the Mahābhārata, which was specifically compiled by Śrīla Vyāsadeva for their benefit. The great author has compiled the Mahābhārata in such a way that the less intelligent class of men, who are more interested in mundane topics, may read the Mahābhārata with great relish and in the course of such mundane happiness can also take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā, the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or the Vedānta-sūtra. Śrīla Vyāsadeva had no interest in writing a history of mundane activities other than to give less intelligent persons a chance for transcendental realization through Bhagavad-gītā. Vidura’s reference to the Mahābhārata indicates that he had heard of the Mahābhārata from Vyāsadeva, his real father, while he was away from home and was touring the places of pilgrimage. |
Maa<@VYaXaaPaaÙGavaNa( Pa[JaaSa&YaMaNaae YaMa" ) >a]aTau" +ae}ae >auiJaZYaaYaa& JaaTa" SaTYavTaqSauTaaTa( )) 20 )) māṇḍavya-śāpād bhagavān prajā-saṁyamano yamaḥ bhrātuḥ kṣetre bhujiṣyāyāṁ jātaḥ satyavatī-sutāt SYNONYMS māṇḍavya—the great ṛṣi Māṇḍavya Muni; śāpāt—by his curse; bhagavān—the greatly powerful; prajā—one who is born; saṁyamanaḥ—controller of death; yamaḥ—known as Yamarāja; bhrātuḥ—of the brother; kṣetre—in the wife; bhujiṣyāyām—kept; jātaḥ—born; satyavatī—Satyavatī (the mother of both Vicitravīrya and Vyāsadeva); sutāt—by the son (Vyāsadeva). TRANSLATION I know that you are now Vidura due to the cursing of Māṇḍavya Muni and that formerly you were King Yamarāja, the great controller of living entities after their death. You were begotten by the son of Satyavatī, Vyāsadeva, in the kept wife of his brother. PURPORT Māṇḍavya Muni was a great sage (cf. Bhāg. 1.13.1), and Vidura was formerly the controller Yamarāja, who takes charge of the living entities after death. Birth, maintenance and death are three conditional states of the living entities who are within the material world. As the appointed controller after death, Yamarāja once tried Māṇḍavya Muni for his childhood profligacy and ordered him to be pierced with a lance. Māṇḍavya, being angry at Yamarāja for awarding him undue punishment, cursed him to become a śūdra (member of the less intelligent laborer class). Thus Yamarāja took birth in the womb of the kept wife of Vicitravīrya from the semen of Vicitravīrya’s brother, Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is the son of Satyavatī by the great King Śāntanu, the father of Bhīṣmadeva. This mysterious history of Vidura was known to Maitreya Muni because he happened to be a contemporary friend of Vyāsadeva’s. In spite of Vidura’s birth from the womb of a kept wife, because he had otherwise high parentage and great connection he inherited the highest talent of becoming a great devotee of the Lord. To take birth in such a great family is understood to be an advantage for attaining devotional life. Vidura was given this chance due to his previous greatness. |
TEXT 23 >aGavaNaek- AaSaedMaGa] AaTMaaTMaNaa& iv>au" ) AaTMaeC^aNauGaTaavaTMaa NaaNaaMaTYauPal/+a<a" )) 23 )) bhagavān eka āsedam agra ātmātmanāṁ vibhuḥ ātmecchānugatāv ātmā nānā-maty-upalakṣaṇaḥ SYNONYMS bhagavān—the Personality of Godhead; ekaḥ—one without a second; āsa—was there; idam—this creation; agre—prior to the creation; ātmā—in His own form; ātmanām—of the living entities; vibhuḥ—master; ātmā—Self; icchā—desire; anugatau—being merged in; ātmā—Self; nānā-mati—different vision; upalakṣaṇaḥ—symptoms. TRANSLATION The Personality of Godhead, the master of all living entities, existed prior to the creation as one without a second. It is by His will only that creation is made possible and again everything merges in Him. This Supreme Self is symptomized by different names. PURPORT The great sage here begins to explain the purpose of the four original verses of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Although they have no access to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the followers of the Māyāvāda (impersonalist) school sometimes screw out an imaginary explanation of the original four verses, but we must accept the actual explanation given herein by Maitreya Muni because he, along with Uddhava, personally heard it directly from the Lord. The first line of the original four verses runs, aham evāsam evāgre. The word aham is misinterpreted by the Māyāvāda school into meanings which no one but the interpreter can understand. Here aham is explained as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not the individual living entities. Before the creation, there was only the Personality of Godhead; there were no puruṣa incarnations and certainly no living entities, nor was there the material energy, by which the manifested creation is effected. The puruṣa incarnations and all the different energies of the Supreme Lord were merged in Him only. The Personality of Godhead is described herein as the master of all other living entities. He is like the sun disc, and the living entities are like the molecules of the sun’s rays. This existence of the Lord before the creation is confirmed by the śrutis: vāsudevo vā idaṁ agra āsīt na brahmā na ca śaṅkaraḥ, eko vai nārāyaṇa āsīn na brahmā neśānāḥ. Because everything that be is an emanation from the Personality of Godhead, He always exists alone without a second. He can so exist because He is all-perfect and omnipotent. Everything other than Him, including His plenary expansions, the viṣṇu-tattvas, is His part and parcel. Before the creation there were no Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī or Garbhodakaśāyī or Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇus, or was there Brahmā nor Śaṅkara. The Viṣṇu plenary expansion and the living entities beginning from Brahmā are separated parts and parcels. Although the spiritual existence was there with the Lord, the material existence was dormant in Him. By His will only is the material manifestation done and undone. The diversity of the Vaikuṇṭhaloka is one with the Lord, just as the diversity of soldiers is one with and the same as the king. As explained in Bhagavad-gītā (9.7), the material creation takes place at intervals by the will of the Lord, and in the periods between dissolution and creation, the living entities and the material energy remain dormant in Him. |
TEXT 25 Saa va WTaSYa Sa&d]íu" Xai¢-" SadSadaiTMak-a ) MaaYaa NaaMa Maha>aaGa YaYaed& iNaMaRMae iv>au" )) 25 )) sā vā etasya saṁdraṣṭuḥ śaktiḥ sad-asad-ātmikā māyā nāma mahā-bhāga yayedaṁ nirmame vibhuḥ SYNONYMS sā—that external energy; vā—is either; etasya—of the Lord; saṁdraṣṭuḥ—of the perfect seer; śaktiḥ—energy; sat-asat-ātmikā—as both the cause and the effect; māyā nāma—called by the name māyā; mahā-bhāga—O fortunate one; yayā—by which; idam—this material world; nirmame—constructed; vibhuḥ—the Almighty. TRANSLATION The Lord is the seer, and the external energy, which is seen, works as both cause and effect in the cosmic manifestation. O greatly fortunate Vidura, this external energy is known as māyā or illusion, and through her agency only is the entire material manifestation made possible. PURPORT The material nature, known as māyā, is both the material and efficient cause of the cosmos, but in the background the Lord is the consciousness for all activities. As in the individual body the consciousness is the source of all energies of the body, so the supreme consciousness of the Lord is the source of all energies in material nature. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10) as follows: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram hetunānena kaunteya jagad viparivartate “Throughout all the energies of material nature there is the hand of the Supreme Lord as the final superintendent. Due to this supreme cause only, the activities of material nature appear planned and systematic, and all thing regularly evolve.” |
TEXT 26 k-al/v*tYaa Tau MaaYaaYaa& Gau<aMaYYaaMaDaae+aJa" ) Pauåze<aaTMa>aUTaeNa vqYaRMaaData vqYaRvaNa( )) 26 )) kāla-vṛttyā tu māyāyāṁ guṇa-mayyām adhokṣajaḥ puruṣeṇātma-bhūtena vīryam ādhatta vīryavān SYNONYMS kāla—the eternal time; vṛttyā—by the influence of; tu—but; māyāyām—in the external energy; guṇa-mayyām—in the qualitative modes of nature; adhokṣajaḥ—the Transcendence; puruṣeṇa—by the puruṣa incarnation; ātma-bhūtena—who is the plenary expansion of the Lord; vīryam—the seeds of the living entities; ādhatta—impregnated; vīryavān—the Supreme Living Being. TRANSLATION The Supreme Living Being in His feature as the transcendental puruṣa incarnation, who is the Lord’s plenary expansion, impregnates the material nature of three modes, and thus by the influence of eternal time the living entities appear. PURPORT The offspring of any living being is born after the father impregnates the mother with semen, and the living entity floating in the semen of the father takes the shape of the mother’s form. Similarly, mother material nature cannot produce any living entity from her material elements unless and until she is impregnated with living entities by the Lord Himself. That is the mystery of the generation of the living entities. This impregnating process is performed by the first puruṣa incarnation, Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu. Simply by His glance over material nature, the whole matter is accomplished. We should not understand the process of impregnation by the Personality of Godhead in terms of our conception of sex. The omnipotent Lord can impregnate just by His eyes, and therefore He is called all-potent. Each and every part of His transcendental body can perform each and every function of the other parts. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.32): aṅgāni yasya sakalendriya-vṛttimanti. In Bhagavad-gītā (14.3) also, the same principle is confirmed: mama yonir mahad-brahma tasmin garbhaṁ dadhāmy aham. When the cosmic creation is manifested, the living entities are directly supplied from the Lord; they are never products of material nature. Thus, no scientific advancement of material science can ever produce a living being. That is the whole mystery of the material creation. The living entities are foreign to matter, and thus they cannot be happy unless they are situated in the same spiritual life as the Lord. The mistaken living being, out of forgetfulness of this original condition of life, unnecessarily wastes time trying to become happy in the material world. The whole Vedic process is to remind one of this essential feature of life. The Lord offers the conditioned soul a material body for his so-called enjoyment, but if one does not come to his senses and enter into spiritual consciousness, the Lord again puts him in the unmanifested condition as it existed in the beginning of the creation. The Lord is described here as vīryavān, or the greatest potent being, because He impregnates material nature with innumerable living entities who are conditioned from time immemorial. |
TaEJaSaaNaqiNd]Yaa<Yaev jaNak-MaRMaYaaiNa c )) 31 )) taijasānīndriyāṇy eva jñāna-karma-mayāni ca SYNONYMS taijasāni—the mode of passion; indriyāṇi—the senses; eva—certainly; jñāna—knowledge, philosophical speculations; karma—fruitive activities; mayāni—predominating; ca—also. TRANSLATION The senses are certainly products of the mode of passion in false ego, and therefore philosophical speculative knowledge and fruitive activities are predominantly products of the mode of passion. PURPORT The chief function of the false ego is godlessness. When a person forgets his constitutional position as an eternally subordinate part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and wants to be happy independently, he functions mainly in two ways. He first attempts to act fruitively for personal gain or sense gratification, and after attempting such fruitive activities for a considerable time, when he is frustrated he becomes a philosophical speculator and thinks himself to be on the same level as God. This false idea of becoming one with the Lord is the last snare of the illusory energy, which traps a living entity into the bondage of forgetfulness under the spell of false ego. The best means of liberation from the clutches of false ego is to give up the habit of philosophical speculation regarding the Absolute Truth. One should know definitely that the Absolute Truth is never realized by the philosophical speculations of the imperfect egoistic person. The Absolute Truth, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is realized by hearing about Him in all submission and love from a bona fide authority who is a representative of the twelve great authorities mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. By such an attempt only can one conquer the illusory energy of the Lord, although for others she is unsurpassable, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14). |
TEXT 36 JYaaeiTazaM>aae_NauSa&Sa*í& ivku-vRd(b]øvqi+aTaMa( ) Mahq& GaNDaGau<aaMaaDaaTk-al/MaaYaa&XaYaaeGaTa" )) 36 )) jyotiṣāmbho ’nusaṁsṛṣṭaṁ vikurvad brahma-vīkṣitam mahīṁ gandha-guṇām ādhāt kāla-māyāṁśa-yogataḥ SYNONYMS jyotiṣā—electricity; ambhaḥ—water; anusaṁsṛṣṭam—thus created; vikurvat—due to transformation; brahma—the Supreme; vīkṣitam—so glanced over; mahīm—the earth; gandha—smell; guṇām—qualification; ādhāt—was created; kāla—eternal time; māyā—external energy; aṁśa—partially; yogataḥ—by intermixture. TRANSLATION Thereafter the water produced from electricity was glanced over by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and mixed with eternal time and external energy. Thus it was transformed into the earth, which is qualified primarily by smell. PURPORT From the descriptions of the physical elements in the above verses it is clear that in all stages the glance of the Supreme is needed with the other additions and alterations. In every transformation, the last finishing touch is the glance of the Lord, who acts as a painter does when he mixes different colors to transform them into a particular color. When one element mixes with another, the number of its qualities increases. For example, the sky is the cause of air. The sky has only one quality, namely sound, but by the interaction of the sky with the glance of the Lord, mixed with eternal time and external nature, the air is produced, which has two qualities—sound and touch. Similarly after the air is created, interaction of sky and air, touched by time and the external energy of the Lord, produces electricity. And after the interaction of electricity with air and sky, mixed with time, external energy and the Lord’s glance over them, the water is produced. In the final stage of sky there is one quality, namely sound; in the air two qualities, sound and touch; in the electricity three qualities, namely sound, touch and form; in the water four qualities, sound, touch, form and taste; and in the last stage of physical development the result is earth, which has all five qualities—sound, touch, form, taste and smell. Although they are different mixtures of different materials, such mixtures do not take place automatically, just as a mixture of colors does not take place automatically without the touch of the living painter. The automatic system is factually activated by the glancing touch of the Lord. Living consciousness is the final word in all physical changes. This fact is mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10) as follows: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram hetunānena kaunteya jagad viparivartate The conclusion is that the physical elements may work very wonderfully to the laymen’s eyes, but their workings actually take place under the supervision of the Lord. Those who can mark only the changes of the physical elements and cannot perceive the hidden hands of the Lord behind them are certainly less intelligent persons, although they may be advertised as great material scientists. |
WTae deva" k-l/a ivZ<aae" k-al/MaaYaa&Xail/i(r)Na" ) NaaNaaTvaTSvi§-YaaNaqXaa" Pa[aecu" Pa[aÅl/Yaae iv>auMa( )) 38 )) ete devāḥ kalā viṣṇoḥ kāla-māyāṁśa-liṅginaḥ nānātvāt sva-kriyānīśāḥ procuḥ prāñjalayo vibhum SYNONYMS ete—of all these physical elements; devāḥ—the controlling demigods; kalāḥ—parts and parcels; viṣṇoḥ—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kāla—time; māyā—external energy; aṁśa—part and parcel; liṅginaḥ—so embodied; nānātvāt—because of various; sva-kriyā—personal duties; anīśāḥ—not being able to perform; procuḥ—uttered; prāñjalayaḥ—fascinating; vibhum—unto the Lord. TRANSLATION The controlling deities of all the above-mentioned physical elements are empowered expansions of Lord Viṣṇu. They are embodied by eternal time under the external energy, and they are His parts and parcels. Because they were entrusted with different functions of universal duties and were unable to perform them, they offered fascinating prayers to the Lord as follows. PURPORT The conception of various controlling demigods who inhabit the higher planetary systems for the management of universal affairs is not imaginary, as proposed by persons with a poor fund of knowledge. The demigods are expanded parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, and they are embodied by time, external energy and partial consciousness of the Supreme. Human beings, animals, birds, etc., are also parts and parcels of the Lord and have different material bodies, but they are not the controlling deities of material affairs. They are, rather, controlled by such demigods. Such control is not superfluous; it is as necessary as the controlling departments in the affairs of a modern state. The demigods should not be despised by the controlled living beings. They are all great devotees of the Lord entrusted to execute certain functions of universal affairs. One may be angry with Yamarāja for his thankless task of punishing sinful souls, but Yamarāja is one of the authorized devotees of the Lord, and so are all the other demigods. A devotee of the Lord is never controlled by such deputed demigods, who function as assistants of the Lord, but he shows them all respects on account of the responsible positions to which they have been appointed by the Lord. At the same time, a devotee of the Lord does not foolishly mistake them to be the Supreme Lord. Only foolish persons accept the demigods as being on the same level as Viṣṇu; actually they are all appointed as servants of Viṣṇu. Anyone who places the Lord and the demigods on the same level is called a pāṣaṇḍī, or atheist. The demigods are worshiped by persons who are more or less adherents of the processes of jñāna, yoga and karma, i.e., the impersonalists, meditators and fruitive workers. The devotees, however, worship only the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. This worship is not for any material benefit, as desired by all the materialists, even up to the salvationists, mystics and fruitive workers. Devotees worship the Supreme Lord to attain unalloyed devotion to the Lord. The Lord, however, is not worshiped by others, who have no program for attaining love of God, which is the essential aim of human life. Persons averse to a loving relationship with God are more or less condemned by their own actions. The Lord is equal to every living entity, just like the flowing Ganges. The Ganges water is meant for the purification of everyone, yet the trees on the banks of the Ganges have different values. A mango tree on the bank of the Ganges drinks the water, and the nimba tree also drinks the same water. But the fruits of both trees are different. One is celestially sweet, and the other is hellishly bitter. The condemned bitterness of the nimba is due to its own past work, just as the sweetness of the mango is also due to its own karma. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (16.19): tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān saṁsāreṣu narādhamān kṣipāmy ajasram aśubhān āsurīṣv eva yoniṣu “The envious, the mischievous, the lowest of mankind, these do I ever put back into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life.” Demigods like Yamarāja and other controllers are there for the unwanted conditioned souls who always engage in threatening the tranquillity of the kingdom of God. Since all the demigods are confidential devotee-servitors of the Lord, they are never to be condemned. |
DaaTaYaRdiSMaNa( >av wRXa Jaqva‚ STaaPa}aYae<aai>ahTaa Na XaMaR ) AaTMaNl/>aNTae >aGav&STavax(iga]‚ C^aYaa& SaivÛaMaTa Aaé[YaeMa )) 40 )) dhātar yad asmin bhava īśa jīvās tāpa-trayeṇābhihatā na śarma ātman labhante bhagavaṁs tavāṅghri- cchāyāṁ sa-vidyām ata āśrayema SYNONYMS dhātaḥ—O father; yat—because; asmin—in this; bhave—material world; īśa—O Lord; jīvāḥ—the living entities; tāpa—miseries; trayeṇa—by the three; abhihatāḥ—always embarrassed; na—never; śarma—in happiness; ātman—self; labhante—do gain; bhagavan—O Personality of Godhead; tava—Your; aṅghri-chāyām—shade of Your feet; sa-vidyām—full of knowledge; ataḥ—obtain; āśrayema—shelter. TRANSLATION O Father, O Lord, O Personality of Godhead, the living entities in the material world can never have any happiness because they are overwhelmed by the three kinds of miseries. Therefore they take shelter of the shade of Your lotus feet, which are full of knowledge, and we also thus take shelter of them. PURPORT The way of devotional service is neither sentimental nor mundane. It is the path of reality by which the living entity can attain the transcendental happiness of being freed from the three kinds of material miseries—miseries arising from the body and mind, from other living entities and from natural disturbances. Everyone who is conditioned by material existence—whether he be a man or beast or demigod or bird—must suffer from ādhyātmika (bodily or mental) pains, ādhibhautika pains (those offered by living creatures), and ādhidaivika pains (those due to supernatural disturbances). His happiness is nothing but a hard struggle to get free from the miseries of conditional life. But there is only one way he can be rescued, and that is by accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The argument that unless one has proper knowledge one cannot be freed from material miseries is undoubtedly true. But because the lotus feet of the Lord are full of transcendental knowledge, acceptance of His lotus feet completes that necessity. We have already discussed this point in the First Canto (1.2.7): vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam There is no want of knowledge in the devotional service of Vāsudeva, the Personality of Godhead. He, the Lord, personally takes charge of dissipating the darkness of ignorance from the heart of a devotee. He confirms this in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10): teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te Empiric philosophical speculation cannot give one relief from the threefold miseries of material existence. Simply to endeavor for knowledge without devoting oneself to the Lord is a waste of valuable time. |
TEXT 41 MaaGaRiNTa Yatae Mau%PaÚNaq@E‚ X^Nd"SauPa<aOE‰RzYaae iviv¢e- ) YaSYaagaMazaeRdSairÜraYaa" Pad& Pad& TaqQaRPad" Pa[Paàa" )) 41 )) mārganti yat te mukha-padma-nīḍaiś chandaḥ-suparṇair ṛṣayo vivikte yasyāgha-marṣoda-sarid-varāyāḥ padaṁ padaṁ tīrtha-padaḥ prapannāḥ SYNONYMS mārganti—searching after; yat—as; te—Your; mukha-padma—lotuslike face; nīḍaiḥ—by those who have taken shelter of such a lotus flower; chandaḥ—Vedic hymns; suparṇaiḥ—by the wings; ṛṣayaḥ—the sages; vivikte—in clear mind; yasya—whose; agha-marṣa-uda—that which offers freedom from all reactions to sin; sarit—rivers; varāyāḥ—in the best; padam padam—in every step; tīrtha-padaḥ—one whose lotus feet are as good as a place of pilgrimage; prapannāḥ—taking shelter. TRANSLATION The lotus feet of the Lord are by themselves the shelter of all places of pilgrimage. The great clear-minded sages, carried by the wings of the Vedas, always search after the nest of Your lotuslike face. Some of them surrender to Your lotus feet at every step by taking shelter of the best of rivers [the Ganges], which can deliver one from all sinful reactions. PURPORT The paramahaṁsas are compared to royal swans who make their nests on the petals of the lotus flower. The Lord’s transcendental bodily parts are always compared to the lotus flower because in the material world the lotus flower is the last word in beauty. The most beautiful thing in the world is the Vedas, or Bhagavad-gītā, because therein knowledge is imparted by the Personality of Godhead Himself. The paramahaṁsa makes his nest in the lotuslike face of the Lord and always seeks shelter at His lotus feet, which are reached by the wings of Vedic wisdom. Since the Lord is the original source of all emanations, intelligent persons, enlightened by Vedic knowledge, seek the shelter of the Lord, just as birds who leave the nest again search out the nest to take complete rest. All Vedic knowledge is meant for understanding the Supreme Lord, as stated by the Lord in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15): vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. Intelligent persons, who are like swans, take shelter of the Lord by all means and do not hover on the mental plane by fruitlessly speculating on different philosophies. The Lord is so kind that He has spread the River Ganges throughout the universe so that by taking bath in that holy river everyone can get release from the reactions of sins, which occur at every step. There are many rivers in the world which are able to evoke one’s sense of God consciousness simply by one’s bathing in them, and the River Ganges is chief amongst them. In India there are five sacred rivers, but the Ganges is the most sacred. The River Ganges and Bhagavad-gītā are chief sources of transcendental happiness for mankind, and intelligent persons can take shelter of them to go back home, back to Godhead. Even Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya recommends that a little knowledge in Bhagavad-gītā and the drinking of a little quantity of Ganges water can save one from the punishment of Yamarāja. |
TEXT 45 TaaNa( vE ùSad(v*itai>ari+ai>aYaeR ParaôTaaNTaMaRNaSa" PareXa ) AQaae Na PaXYaNTYauåGaaYa NaUNa& Yae Tae PadNYaaSaivl/aSal/+Yaa" )) 45 )) tān vai hy asad-vṛttibhir akṣibhir ye parāhṛtāntar-manasaḥ pareśa atho na paśyanty urugāya nūnaṁ ye te padanyāsa-vilāsa-lakṣyāḥ SYNONYMS tān—the lotus feet of the Lord; vai—certainly; hi—for; asat—materialistic; vṛttibhiḥ—by those who are influenced by external energy; akṣibhiḥ—by the senses; ye—those; parāhṛta—missing at a distance; antaḥ-manasaḥ—of the internal mind; pareśa—O Supreme; atho—therefore; na—never; paśyanti—can see; urugāya—O great; nūnam—but; ye—those who; te—Your; padanyāsa—activities; vilāsa—transcendental enjoyment; lakṣyāḥ—those who see. TRANSLATION O great Supreme Lord, offensive persons whose internal vision has been too affected by external materialistic activities cannot see Your lotus feet, but they are seen by Your pure devotees, whose one and only aim is to transcendentally enjoy Your activities. PURPORT As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.61), the Lord is situated in everyone’s heart. It is natural that one should he able to see the Lord at least within himself. But that is not possible for those whose internal vision has been covered by external activities. The pure soul, which is symptomized by consciousness, can be easily perceived even by a common man because consciousness is spread all over the body. The yoga system as recommended in Bhagavad-gītā is to concentrate the mental activities internally and thus see the lotus feet of the Lord within oneself. But there are many so-called yogīs who have no concern with the Lord but are only concerned with consciousness, which they accept as the final realization. Such realization of consciousness is taught by Bhagavad-gītā within only a few minutes, whereas the so-called yogīs take continuous years to realize it because of their offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord. The greatest offense is to deny the existence of the Lord as separate from the individual souls or to accept the Lord and the individual soul as one and the same. The impersonalists misinterpret the theory a reflection, and thus they wrongly accept the individual consciousness as the supreme consciousness. The theory of the reflection of the Supreme can be clearly understood without difficulty by any sincere common man. When there is a reflection of the sky on the water, both the sky and the stars are seen within the water, but it is understood that the sky and the stars are not to be accepted on the same level. The stars are parts of the sky, and therefore they cannot be equal to the whole. The sky is the whole, and the stars are parts. They cannot be one and the same. Transcendentalists who do not accept the supreme consciousness as separate from the individual consciousness are as offensive as the materialists who deny even the existence of the Lord. Such offenders cannot actually see the lotus feet of the Lord within themselves, nor are they even able to see the devotees of the Lord. The devotees of the Lord are so kind that they roam to all places to enlighten people in God consciousness. The offenders, however, lose the chance to receive the Lord’s devotees, although the offenseless common man is at once influenced by the devotees’ presence. In this connection there is an interesting story of a hunter and Devarṣi Nārada. A hunter in the forest, although a great sinner, was not an intentional offender. He was at once influenced by the presence of Nārada, and he agreed to take the path of devotion, leaving aside his hearth and home. But the offenders Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva, even though living amongst the demigods, had to undergo the punishment of becoming trees in their next lives, although by the grace of a devotee they were later delivered by the Lord. Offenders have to wait until they receive the mercy of devotees, and then they can become eligible to see the lotus feet of the Lord within themselves. But due to their offenses and their extreme materialism, they cannot see even the devotees of the Lord. Engaged in external activities, they kill the internal vision. The Lord’s devotees, however, do not mind the offenses of the foolish in their many gross and subtle bodily endeavors. The Lord’s devotees continue to bestow the blessings of devotion upon all such offenders without hesitation. That is the nature of devotees. |
YaavØil&/ Tae_Ja hraMa k-ale/ YaQaa vYa& caàMadaMa Ya}a ) YaQaae>aYaeza& Ta wMae ih l/aek-a bil&/ hrNTaae_àMadNTYaNaUha" )) 49 )) yāvad baliṁ te ’ja harāma kāle yathā vayaṁ cānnam adāma yatra yathobhayeṣāṁ ta ime hi lokā baliṁ haranto ’nnam adanty anūhāḥ SYNONYMS yāvat—as it may be; balim—offerings; te—Your; aja—O unborn one; harāma—shall offer; kāle—at the right time; yathā—as much as; vayam—we; ca—also; annam—food grains; adāma—shall partake; yatra—whereupon; yathā—as much as; ubhayeṣām—both for You and for us; te—all; ime—these; hi—certainly; lokāḥ—living entities; balim—offerings; harantaḥ—while offering; annam—grains; adanti—eat; anūhāḥ—without disturbance. TRANSLATION O unborn one, please enlighten us regarding the ways and means by which we can offer You all enjoyable grains and commodities so that both we and all other living entities in this world can maintain ourselves without disturbance and can easily accumulate the necessities of life both for You and for ourselves. PURPORT Developed consciousness begins from the human form of life and further increases in the forms of the demigods living in higher planets. The earth is situated almost in the middle of the universe, and the human form of life is the via medium between the life of the demigods and that of the demons. The planetary systems above the earth are especially meant for the higher intellectuals, called demigods. They are called demigods because although their standard of life is far more advanced in culture, enjoyment, luxury, beauty, education and duration of life, they are always fully God conscious. Such demigods are always ready to render service to the Supreme Lord because they are perfectly aware of the fact that every living entity is constitutionally an eternal subordinate servitor of the Lord. They also know that it is the Lord only who can maintain all living entities with all the necessities of life. The Vedic hymns, eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān, tā enam abruvann āyatanaṁ naḥ prajānīhi yasmin pratiṣṭhitā annam adāme, etc., confirm this truth. In Bhagavad-gītā also, the Lord is mentioned as bhūta-bhṛt, or the maintainer of all living creatures. The modern theory that starvation is due to an increase in population is not accepted by the demigods or the devotees of the Lord. The devotees or demigods are fully aware that the Lord can maintain any number of living entities, provided they are conscious of how to eat. If they want to eat like ordinary animals, who have no God consciousness, then they must live in starvation, poverty and want, like the jungle animals in the forest. The jungle animals are also maintained by the Lord with their respective foodstuffs, but they are not advanced in God consciousness. Similarly, human beings are provided with food grains, vegetables, fruits and milk by the grace of the Lord, but it is the duty of human beings to acknowledge the mercy of the Lord. As a matter of gratitude, they should feel obliged to the Lord for their supply of foodstuff, and they must first offer Him food in sacrifice and then partake of the remnants. In Bhagavad-gītā (3.13) it is confirmed that one who takes foodstuff after a performance of sacrifice eats real food for proper maintenance of the body and soul, but one who cooks for himself and does not perform any sacrifice eats only lumps of sin in the shape of foodstuffs. Such sinful eating can never make one happy or free from scarcity. Famine is not due to an increase in population, as less intelligent economists think. When human society is grateful to the Lord for all His gifts for the maintenance of the living entities, then there is certainly no scarcity or want in society. But when men are unaware of the intrinsic value of such gifts from the Lord, surely they are in want. A person who has no God consciousness may live in opulence for the time being due to his past virtuous acts, but if one forgets his relationship with the Lord, certainly he must await the stage of starvation by the law of the powerful material nature. One cannot escape the vigilance of the powerful material nature unless he leads a God conscious or devotional life. |
TEXT 50 Tv& Na" Saura<aaMaiSa SaaNvYaaNaa& kU-$=SQa AaÛ" Pauåz" Paura<a" ) Tv& dev Xa¢-ya& Gau<ak-MaRYaaeNaaE reTaSTvJaaYaa& k-ivMaadDae_Ja" )) 50 )) tvaṁ naḥ surāṇām asi sānvayānāṁ kūṭa-stha ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ tvaṁ deva śaktyāṁ guṇa-karma-yonau retas tv ajāyāṁ kavim ādadhe ’jaḥ SYNONYMS tvam—Your Lordship; naḥ—of us; surāṇām—of the demigods; asi—You are; sa-anvayānām—with different gradations; kūṭa-sthaḥ—one who is unchanged; ādyaḥ—without any superior; puruṣaḥ—the founder person; purāṇaḥ—the oldest, who has no other founder; tvam—You; deva—O Lord; śaktyām—unto the energy; guṇa-karma-yonau—unto the cause of the material modes and activities; retaḥ—semen of birth; tu—indeed; ajāyām—for begetting; kavim—the total living entities; ādadhe—initiated; ajaḥ—one who is unborn. TRANSLATION You are the original personal founder of all the demigods and the orders of different gradations, yet You are the oldest and are unchanged. O Lord, You have no source or superior. You have impregnated the external energy with the semen of the total living entities, yet You are unborn. PURPORT The Lord, the Original Person, is the father of all other living entities, beginning from Brahmā, the personality from whom all other living entities in different gradations of species are generated. Yet the supreme father has no other father. Every one of the living entities of all grades, up to Brahmā, the original creature of the universe, is begotten by a father, but He, the Lord, has no father. When He descends on the material plane, out of Mis causeless mercy He accepts one of His great devotees as His father to keep pace with the rules of the material world. But since He is the Lord, He is always independent in choosing who will become His father. For example, the Lord came out of a pillar in His incarnation as Nṛsiṁhadeva, and by the Lord’s causeless mercy, Ahalyā came out of a stone by the touch of the lotus feet of His incarnation as Lord Śrī Rāma. He is also the companion of every living entity as the Supersoul, but He is unchanged. The living entity changes his body in the material world, but even when the Lord is in the material world, He is ever unchanged. That is His prerogative. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (14.3), the Lord impregnates the external or material energy, and thus the total living entities later come out in different gradations, beginning from Brahmā, the first demigod, down to the insignificant ant. All gradations of living entities are manifested by Brahmā and the external energy, but the Lord is the original father of everyone. The relationship of every living being with the Supreme Lord is certainly one of son and father and not one of equality. Sometimes in love the son is more than the father, but the relationship of father and son is one of the superior and the subordinate. Every living entity, however great he may be, even up to demigods like Brahmā and Indra, is an eternally subordinate servitor of the supreme father. The mahat-tattva principle is the generating source of all the modes of material nature, and the living entities take birth in the material world in bodies supplied by the mother, material nature, in terms of their previous work. The body is a gift of material nature, but the soul is originally part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. |
TaTaae vYa& MaTPa[Mau%a YadQaeR b>aUivMaaTMaNa( k-rvaMa ik&- Tae ) Tv& Na" Svc+au" Pairdeih Xa¢-ya dev i§-YaaQaeR YadNauGa]ha<aaMa( )) 51 )) tato vayaṁ mat-pramukhā yad-arthe babhūvimātman karavāma kiṁ te tvaṁ naḥ sva-cakṣuḥ paridehi śaktyā deva kriyārthe yad-anugrahāṇām SYNONYMS tataḥ—therefore; vayam—all of us; mat-pramukhāḥ—coming from the total cosmos, the mahat-tattva; yat-arthe—for the purpose of which; babhūvima—created; ātman—O Supreme Self; karavāma—shall do; kim—what; te—Your service; tvam—Yourself; naḥ—to us; sva-cakṣuḥ—personal plan; paridehi—specifically grant us; śaktyā—with potency to work; deva—O Lord; kriyā-arthe—for acting; yat—from which; anugrahāṇām—of those who are specifically favored. TRANSLATION O Supreme Self, please give us, who are created in the beginning from the mahat-tattva, the total cosmic energy, Your kind directions on how we shall act. Kindly award us Your perfect knowledge and potency so that we can render You service in the different departments of subsequent creation. PURPORT The Lord creates this material world and impregnates the material energy with the living entities who will act in the material world. All these actions have a divine plan behind them. The plan is to give the conditioned souls who so desire a chance to enjoy sense gratification. But there is another plan behind the creation: to help the living entities realize that they are created for the transcendental sense gratification of the Lord and not for their individual sense gratification. This is the constitutional position of the living entities. The Lord is one without a second, and He expands Himself into many for His transcendental pleasure. All the expansions—the viṣṇu-tattvas, the jīva-tattvas and the śakti-tattvas (the Personalities of Godhead, the living entities and the different potential energies)— are different offshoots from the same one Supreme Lord. The jīva-tattvas are separated expansions of the viṣṇu-tattvas, and although there are potential differences between them, they are all meant for the transcendental sense gratification of the Supreme Lord. Some of the jīvas, however, wanted to lord it over material nature in imitation of the lordship of the Personality of Godhead. Regarding when and why such propensities overcame the pure living entities, it can only be explained that the jīva-tattvas have infinitesimal independence and that due to misuse of this independence some of the living entities have become implicated in the conditions of cosmic creation and are therefore called nitya-baddhas, or eternally conditioned souls. The expansions of Vedic wisdom also give the nitya-baddhas, the conditioned living entities, a chance to improve, and those who take advantage of such transcendental knowledge gradually regain their lost consciousness of rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord. The demigods are amongst the conditioned souls who have developed this pure consciousness of service to the Lord but who at the same time continue to desire to lord it over the material energy. Such mixed consciousness puts a conditioned soul in the position of managing the affairs of this creation. The demigods are entrusted leaders of the conditioned souls. As some of the old prisoners in government jails are entrusted with some responsible work of prison management, so the demigods are improved conditioned souls acting as representatives of the Lord in the material creation. Such demigods are devotees of the Lord in the material world, and when completely free from all material desire to lord it over the material energy they become pure devotees and have no desire but to serve the Lord. Therefore any living entity who desires a position in the material world may desire so in the service of the Lord and may seek power and intelligence from the Lord, as exemplified by the demigods in this particular verse. One cannot do anything unless he is enlightened and empowered by the Lord. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15), mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. All recollections, knowledge, etc., as well as all forgetfulness, are engineered by the Lord, who is sitting within the heart of everyone. The intelligent man seeks the help of the Lord, and the Lord helps the sincere devotees engaged in His multifarious services. The demigods are entrusted by the Lord to create different species of living entities according to their past deeds. They are herein asking the favor of the Lord for the intelligence and power to carry out their task. Similarly, any conditioned soul may also engage in the service of the Lord under the guidance of an expert spiritual master and thus gradually become freed from the entanglement of material existence. The spiritual master is the manifested representative of the Lord, and anyone who puts himself under the guidance of a spiritual master and acts accordingly is said to be acting in terms of buddhi-yoga, as explained in Bhagavad-gītā (2.41): vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddhayo ’vyavasāyinām Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Vidura’s Talks with Maitreya.” |
k-al/Sa&ja& Tada devq& ib>a]C^i¢-Mauå§-Ma" ) }aYaaeiv&XaiTaTatvaNaa& Ga<a& YauGaPadaivXaTa( )) 2 )) kāla-sañjñāṁ tadā devīṁ bibhrac-chaktim urukramaḥ trayoviṁśati tattvānāṁ gaṇaṁ yugapad āviśat SYNONYMS kāla-sañjñām—known as Kālī; tadā—at that time; devīm—the goddess; bibhrat—destructive; śaktim—potency; urukramaḥ—the supreme powerful; trayaḥ-viṁśati—twenty-three; tattvānām—of the elements; gaṇam—all of them; yugapat—simultaneously; āviśat—entered. TRANSLATION The Supreme Powerful Lord then simultaneously entered into the twenty-three elements with the goddess Kālī, His external energy, who alone amalgamates all the different elements. PURPORT The ingredients of matter are counted as twenty-three: the total material energy, false ego, sound, touch, form, taste, smell, earth, water, fire, air, sky, eye, ear, nose, tongue, skin, hand, leg, evacuating organ, genitals, speech and mind. All are combined together by the influence of time and are again dissolved in the course of time. Time, therefore, is the energy of the Lord and acts in her own way by the direction of the Lord. This energy is called Kālī and is represented by the dark destructive goddess generally worshiped by persons influenced by the mode of darkness or ignorance in material existence. In the Vedic hymn this process is described as mūla-prakṛtir avikṛtir mahadādyāḥ prakṛti-vikṛtayaḥ sapta ṣoḍaśakas tu vikāro na prakṛtir na vikṛtiḥ puruṣaḥ. The energy which acts as material nature in a combination of twenty-three ingredients is not the final source of creation. The Lord enters into the elements and applies His energy, called Kālī. In all other Vedic scriptures the same principle is accepted. In Brahma-saṁhitā (5.35) it is stated: eko ’py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiṁ yac-chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi “I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is the original Personality of Godhead. By His partial plenary expansion [Mahā-Viṣṇu], He enters into material nature, and then into each and every universe [as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu], and then [as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu] into all the elements, including every atom of matter. Such manifestations of cosmic creation are innumerable, both in the universes and in the individual atoms.” Similarly, this is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (10.42): athavā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam ekāṁśena sthito jagat “O Arjuna, there is no necessity of your knowing about My innumerable energies, which act in various ways. I enter into the material creation by My partial plenary expansion [Paramātmā, or the Supersoul] in all the universes and in all the elements thereof, and thus the work of creation goes on.” The wonderful activities of material nature are due to Lord Kṛṣṇa, and thus He is the final cause, or the ultimate cause of all causes. |
TEXT 7 Sa vE ivìSa*Jaa& Ga>aaeR devk-MaaRTMaXai¢-MaaNa( ) ivb>aaJaaTMaNaaTMaaNaMaek-Daa dXaDaa i}aDaa )) 7 )) sa vai viśva-sṛjāṁ garbho deva-karmātma-śaktimān vibabhājātmanātmānam ekadhā daśadhā tridhā SYNONYMS saḥ—that; vai—certainly; viśva-sṛjām—of the gigantic virāṭ form; garbhaḥ—total energy; deva—living energy; karma—activity of life; ātma—self; śaktimān—full with potencies; vibabhāja—divided; ātmanā—by Himself; ātmānam—Himself; ekadhā—in oneness; daśadhā—in ten; tridhā—and in three. TRANSLATION The total energy of the mahat-tattva, in the form of the gigantic virāṭ-rūpa, divided Himself by Himself into the consciousness of the living entities, the life of activity, and self-identification, which are subdivided into one, ten and three respectively. PURPORT Consciousness is the sign of the living entity, or the soul. The existence of the soul is manifest in the form of consciousness, called jñāna-śakti. The total consciousness is that of the gigantic virāṭ-rūpa, and the same consciousness is exhibited in individual persons. The activity of consciousness is performed through the air of life, which is of ten divisions. The airs of life are called prāṇa, apāna, udāna, vyāna and samāna and are also differently qualified as nāga, kūrma, kṛkara, devadatta and dhanañjaya. The consciousness of the soul becomes polluted by the material atmosphere, and thus various activities are exhibited in the false ego of bodily identification. These various activities are described in Bhagavad-gītā (2.41) as bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddhayo ’vyavasāyinām. The conditioned soul is bewildered into various activities for want of pure consciousness. In pure consciousness the activity is one. The consciousness of the individual soul becomes one with the supreme consciousness when there is complete synthesis between the two. The monist believes that there is only one consciousness, whereas the sātvatas, or the devotees, believe that although there is undoubtedly one consciousness, they are one because there is agreement. The individual consciousness is advised to dovetail with the supreme consciousness, as instructed by the Lord in Bhagavad-gītā (18.66): sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. The individual consciousness (Arjuna) is advised to dovetail with the supreme consciousness and thus maintain his conscious purity. It is foolish to try to stop the activities of consciousness, but they can be purified when they are dovetailed with the Supreme. This consciousness is divided into three modes of self-identification according to the proportion of purity: ādhyātmika, or self-identification with the body and mind, ādhibhautika, or self-identification with the material products, and ādhidaivika, or self-identification as a servant of the Lord. Of the three, ādhidaivika self-identification is the beginning of purity of consciousness in pursuance of the desire of the Lord. |
TEXT 9 SaaDYaaTMa" SaaiDadEvê SaaiDa>aUTa wiTa i}aDaa ) ivra$( Pa[a<aae dXaivDa Wk-Daa ôdYaeNa c )) 9 )) sādhyātmaḥ sādhidaivaś ca sādhibhūta iti tridhā virāṭ prāṇo daśa-vidha ekadhā hṛdayena ca SYNONYMS sa-ādhyātmaḥ—the body and mind with all the senses; sa-ādhidaivaḥ—and the controlling demigods of the senses; ca—and; sa-ādhibhūtaḥ—the present objectives; iti—thus; tridhā—three; virāṭ—gigantic; prāṇaḥ—moving force; daśa-vidhaḥ—ten kinds; ekadhā—one only; hṛdayena—living energy; ca—also. TRANSLATION The gigantic universal form is represented by three, ten and one in the sense that He is the body and the mind and the senses, He is the dynamic force for all movements by ten kinds of life energy, and He is the one heart where life energy is generated. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gītā (7.4–5) it is stated that the eight elements earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence and false ego are all products of the Lord’s inferior energy, whereas the living entities, who are seen to utilize the inferior energy, originally belong to the superior energy, the internal potency of the Lord. The eight inferior energies work grossly and subtly, whereas the superior energy works as the central generating force. This is experienced in the human body. The gross elements, namely, earth, etc., form the external gross body and are like a coat, whereas the subtle mind and false ego act like the inner clothing of the body. The movements of the body are first generated from the heart, and all the activities of the body are made possible by the senses, powered by the ten kinds of air within the body. The ten kinds of air are described as follows: The main air passing through the nose in breathing is called prāṇa. The air which passes through the rectum as evacuated bodily air is called apāna. The air which adjusts the foodstuff within the stomach and which sometimes sounds as belching is called samāna. The air which passes through the throat and the stoppage of which constitutes suffocation is called the udāna air. Aid the total air which circulates throughout the entire body is called the vyāna air. Subtler than these five airs, there are others also. That which facilitates the opening of the eyes, mouth, etc., is called nāga air. The air which increases appetite is called kṛkara air. The air which helps contraction is called kūrma air. The air which helps relaxation by opening the mouth wide (in yawning) is called devadatta air, and the air which helps sustenance is called dhanañjaya air. All these airs are generated from the center of the heart, which is one only. This central energy is superior energy of the Lord, who is seated within the heart with the soul of the body, who acts under the guidance of the Lord. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) as follows: sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham The complete central force is generated from the heart by the Lord, who is seated there and who helps the conditioned soul in remembering and forgetting. The conditioned state is due to the soul’s forgetfulness of his relationship of subordination to the Lord. One who wants to continue to forget the Lord is helped by the Lord to forget Him birth after birth, but one who remembers Him, by dint of association with a devotee of the Lord, is helped to remember Him more and more. Thus the conditioned soul can ultimately go back home, back to Godhead. This process of transcendental help by the Lord is described in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10) as follows: teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te The buddhi-yoga process of self-realization with intelligence transcendental to the mind (devotional service) can alone elevate one from the conditioned state of material entanglement in the cosmic construction. The conditioned state of the living entity is like that of a person who is within the depths of a huge mechanical arrangement. The mental speculators can reach the point of buddhi-yoga after many, many lifetimes of speculation, but the intelligent person who begins from the platform of intelligence above the mind makes rapid progress in self-realization. Because the buddhi-yoga process entails no fear of deterioration or retrogression at any time, it is the guaranteed path to self-realization, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (2.40). The mental speculators cannot understand that the two birds (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad) sitting in one tree are the soul and the Supersoul. The individual soul eats the fruit of the tree, while the other bird does not eat the fruit but only observes the activities of the eating bird. Without attachment, the witnessing bird helps the fruit-eating bird perform fruitful activities. One who cannot understand this difference between the soul and the Supersoul, or God and the living entities, is certainly still in the entanglement of the cosmic machinery and thus must still await the time when he will be free from bondage. |
TEXT 28 AaTYaiNTake-Na SatveNa idv& deva" Pa[Paeidre ) Dara& rJa"Sv>aaveNa Pa<aYaae Yae c TaaNaNau )) 28 )) ātyantikena sattvena divaṁ devāḥ prapedire dharāṁ rajaḥ-svabhāvena paṇayo ye ca tān anu SYNONYMS ātyantikena—excessive; sattvena—by the mode of goodness; divam—in the higher planets; devāḥ—the demigods; prapedire—have been situated; dharām—on the earth; rajaḥ—the mode of passion; svabhāvena—by nature; paṇayaḥ—the human being; ye—all those; ca—also; tān—their; anu—subordinate. TRANSLATION The demigods, qualified by the superexcellent quality of the mode of goodness, are situated in the heavenly planets, whereas the human beings, because of their nature in the mode of passion, live on the earth in company with their subordinates. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gītā (14.14–15) it is said that those who are highly developed in the mode of goodness are promoted to the higher, heavenly planetary system, and those who are overpowered by the mode of passion are situated in the middle planetary systems—the earth and similar planets. But those who are surcharged with the mode of ignorance are degraded to the lower planetary systems or to the animal kingdom. The demigods are highly developed in the mode of goodness, and thus they are situated in the heavenly planets. Below human beings are the animals, although some of them mingle with human society; cows, horses, dogs, etc., are habituated to living under the protection of human beings. The word ātyantikena is very significant in this verse. By development of the mode of goodness of material nature one can become situated in the heavenly planets. But by excessive development of the modes of passion and ignorance, the human being indulges in killing the animals who are meant to be protected by mankind. Persons who indulge in unnecessary animal killing have excessively developed in the modes of passion and ignorance and have no hope of advancing to the mode of goodness; they are destined to be degraded to lower statuses of life. The planetary systems are calculated as upper and lower in terms of the classes of living entities who live there. |
Mau%Taae_vTaRTa b]ø PauåzSYa ku-æÜh ) YaSTaUNMau%TvaÜ<aaRNaa& Mau:Yaae_>aUd(b]aø<aae Gauå" )) 30 )) mukhato ’vartata brahma puruṣasya kurūdvaha yas tūnmukhatvād varṇānāṁ mukhyo ’bhūd brāhmaṇo guruḥ SYNONYMS mukhataḥ—from the mouth; avartata—generated; brahma—the Vedic wisdom; puruṣasya—of the virāṭ-puruṣa, the gigantic form; kuru-udvaha—O chief of the Kuru dynasty; yaḥ—who are; tu—due to; unmukhatvāt—inclined to; varṇānām—of the orders of society; mukhyaḥ—the chief; abhūt—so became; brāhmaṇaḥ—called the brāhmaṇas; guruḥ—the recognized teacher or spiritual master. TRANSLATION O chief of the Kuru dynasty, the Vedic wisdom became manifested from the mouth of the virāṭ, the gigantic form. Those who are inclined to this Vedic knowledge are called brāhmaṇas, and they are the natural teachers and spiritual masters of all the orders of society. PURPORT As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.13), the four orders of human society developed with the order of the body of the gigantic form. The bodily divisions are the mouth, arms, waist and legs. Those who are situated on the mouth are called brāhmaṇas, those who are situated on the arms are called kṣatriyas, those who are situated on the waist are called vaiśyas, and those who are situated on the legs are called śūdras. Everyone is situated in the body of the Supreme in His gigantic viśva-rūpa form. In terms of the four orders, therefore, no caste is to be considered degraded because of being situated on a particular part of the body. In our own bodies we do not show any actual difference in our treatment towards the hands or legs. Each and every part of the body is important, although the mouth is the most important of the bodily parts. If other parts are cut off from the body, a man can continue his life, but if the mouth is cut off, one cannot live. Therefore, this most important part of the body of the Lord is called the sitting place of the brāhmaṇas, who are inclined to the Vedic wisdom. One who is not inclined to the Vedic wisdom but to mundane affairs cannot be called a brāhmaṇa, even if he is born of a brāhmaṇa family or father. To have a brāhmaṇa father does not qualify one as a brāhmaṇa. The main qualification of a brāhmaṇa is to be inclined to the Vedic wisdom. The Vedas are situated on the mouth of the Lord, and therefore anyone who is inclined to the Vedic wisdom is certainly situated on the mouth of the Lord, and he is a brāhmaṇa. This inclination towards Vedic wisdom is also not restricted to any particular caste or community. Anyone from any family and from any part of the world may become inclined to the Vedic wisdom, and that will qualify him as a real brāhmaṇa. A real brāhmaṇa is the natural teacher or spiritual master. Unless one has Vedic knowledge, one cannot become a spiritual master. The perfect knowledge of the Vedas is to know the Lord, the Personality of Godhead, and that is the end of Vedic knowledge, or Vedānta. One who is situated in the impersonal Brahman and has no information of the Supreme Personality of Godhead may become a brāhmaṇa, but he cannot become a spiritual master. It is said in the Padma Purāṇa: ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ An impersonalist can become a qualified brāhmaṇa, but he cannot become a spiritual master unless and until he is promoted to the stage of a Vaiṣṇava, or a devotee of the Personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya, the great authority of Vedic wisdom in the modern age, stated: kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ’guru’ haya A person may be a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or a sannyāsī, but if he happens to be well versed in the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he is fit to become a spiritual master. (Cc. Madhya 8.128) The qualification, then, of a spiritual master is not to be a qualified brāhmaṇa, but to be well versed in the science of Kṛṣṇa. One who is conversant with Vedic wisdom is a brāhmaṇa. And only a brāhmaṇa who is a pure Vaiṣṇava and knows all the intricacies of the science of Kṛṣṇa can become a spiritual master. |
TEXT 31 bahu>Yaae_vTaRTa +a}a& +ai}aYaSTadNauv]Ta" ) Yaae JaaTañaYaTae v<aaRNa( PaaEåz" k-<$=k-+aTaaTa( )) 31 )) bāhubhyo ’vartata kṣatraṁ kṣatriyas tad anuvrataḥ yo jātas trāyate varṇān pauruṣaḥ kaṇṭaka-kṣatāt SYNONYMS bāhubhyaḥ—from the arms; avartata—generate d; kṣatram—the power of protection; kṣatriyaḥ—in relation to the power of protection; tat—that; anuvrataḥ—followers; yaḥ—one who; jātaḥ—so becomes; trāyate—delivers; varṇān—the other occupations; pauruṣaḥ—representative of the Personality of Godhead; kaṇṭaka—of disturbing elements like thieves and debauchees; kṣatāt—from the mischief. TRANSLATION Thereafter the power of protection was generated from the arms of the gigantic virāṭ form, and in relation to such power the kṣatriyas also came into existence by following the kṣatriya principle of protecting society from the disturbance of thieves and miscreants. PURPORT As the brāhmaṇas are recognized by their particular qualification of inclination towards the transcendental knowledge of Vedic wisdom, so also the kṣatriyas are recognized by the power to protect society from the disturbing elements of thieves and miscreants. The word anuvrataḥ is significant. A person who follows the kṣatriya principles by protecting society from thieves and miscreants is called a kṣatriya, not the one who is simply born a kṣatriya. The conception of the caste system is always based on quality and not on the qualification of birth. Birth is an extraneous consideration; it is not the main feature of the orders and divisions. In Bhagavad-gītā (18.41–44) the qualifications of the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras are specifically mentioned, and it is understood that all such qualifications are needed before one can be designated as belonging to a particular group. Lord Viṣṇu is always mentioned as the puruṣa in all Vedic scriptures. Sometimes the living entities are also mentioned as puruṣas, although they are essentially puruṣa-śakti (parā śakti or parā prakṛti), the superior energy of the puruṣa. Illusioned by the external potency of the puruṣa (the Lord), the living entities falsely think of themselves as the puruṣa although they actually have no qualifications. The Lord has the power to protect. Of the three deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara, the first has the power to create, the second has the power to protect, and the third has the power to destroy. The word puruṣa is significant in this verse because the kṣatriyas are expected to represent the puruṣa Lord in giving protection to the prajās, or all those who are born in the land and water. Protection is therefore meant for both man and the animals. in modern society the prajās are not protected from the hands of thieves and miscreants. The modern democratic state, which has no kṣatriyas, is a government of the vaiśyas and śūdras, and not of brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas as formerly. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and his grandson, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, were typical kṣatriya kings, for they gave protection to all men and animals. When the personification of Kali attempted to kill a cow, Mahārāja Parīkṣit at once prepared himself to kill the miscreant, and the personification of Kali was banished from his kingdom. That is the sign of puruṣa, or the representative of Lord Viṣṇu. According to Vedic civilization, a qualified kṣatriya monarch is given the respect of the Lord because he represents the Lord by giving protection to the prajās. Modern elected presidents cannot even give protection from theft cases, and therefore one has to take protection from an insurance company. The problems of modern human society are due to the lack of qualified brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas and the overinfluence of the vaiśyas and śūdras by so-called general franchise. |
WTae v<aaR" SvDaMaeR<a YaJaiNTa SvGauå& hirMa( ) é[ÖYaaTMaivéuÖyQa| YaÂaTaa" Sah v*itai>a" )) 34 )) ete varṇāḥ sva-dharmeṇa yajanti sva-guruṁ harim śraddhayātma-viśuddhy-arthaṁ yaj-jātāḥ saha vṛttibhiḥ SYNONYMS ete—all these; varṇāḥ—orders of society; sva-dharmeṇa—by one’s own occupational duties; yajanti—worship; sva-gurum—with the spiritual master; harim—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śraddhayā—with faith and devotion; ātma—self; viśuddhi-artham—for purifying; yat—from whom; jātāḥ—born; saha—along with; vṛttibhiḥ—occupational duty. TRANSLATION All these different social divisions are born, with their occupational duties and living conditions, from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus for unconditional life and self-realization one has to worship the Supreme Lord under the direction of the spiritual master. PURPORT Since they are born from different parts of the body of the Supreme Lord in His gigantic form, all living entities in all parts of the entire universe are supposed to he eternal servitors of the supreme body. Every part of our own body, such as the mouth, hands, thighs and legs, is meant to render service to the whole. That is their constitutional position. In subhuman life the living entities are not conscious of this constitutional position, but in the human form of life they are supposed to know this through the system of the varṇas, the social orders. As above mentioned, the brāhmaṇa is the spiritual master of all the orders of society, and thus brahminical culture, culminating in the transcendental service of the Lord, is the basic principle for purifying the soul. In conditioned life the soul is under the impression that he can become the lord of the universe, and the last point of this misconception is to think oneself the Supreme. The foolish conditioned soul does not take into account that the Supreme cannot be conditioned by māyā, or illusion. If the Supreme were to become conditioned by illusion, where would be His supremacy? In that case, māyā, or illusion, would be the Supreme. Therefore, because the living entities are conditioned, they cannot be supreme. The actual position of the conditioned soul is explained in this verse: all the conditioned souls are impure due to contact with the material energy in three modes of nature. Therefore it is necessary that they purify themselves under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, who not only is a brāhmaṇa by qualification but must also be a Vaiṣṇava. The only self-purifying process mentioned herein is to worship the Lord under the recognized method—under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master. That is the natural way of purification, and no other method is recommended as bona fide. The other methods of purification may be helpful to come to this stage of life, but ultimately one has to come to this last point before he attains actual perfection. Bhagavad-gītā (7.19) confirms this truth as follows: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ |
TEXT 35 WTaT+ata>aRGavTaae dEvk-MaaRTMaæiPa<a" ) k-" é[ÕDYaaduPaak-Tau| YaaeGaMaaYaabl/aedYaMa( )) 35 )) etat kṣattar bhagavato daiva-karmātma-rūpiṇaḥ kaḥ śraddadhyād upākartuṁ yogamāyā-balodayam SYNONYMS etat—this; kṣattaḥ—O Vidura; bhagavataḥ—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; daiva-karma-ātma-rūpiṇaḥ—of the gigantic form of transcendental work, time and nature; kaḥ—who else; śraddadhyāt—can aspire; upākartum—measure in totality; yogamāyā—internal potency; bala-udayam—manifested by the strength of. TRANSLATION O Vidura, who can estimate or measure the transcendental time, work and potency of the gigantic form manifested by the internal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? PURPORT The froggish philosophers may go on with their mental speculations on the subject matter of the virāṭ, the gigantic form exhibited by the yogamāyā internal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but factually no one can measure such a vast exhibition. In Bhagavad-gītā (11.16), Arjuna, the recognized devotee of the Lord, says: aneka-bāhūdara-vaktra-netraṁ paśyāmi tvāṁ sarvato ’nanta-rūpam nāntaṁ na madhyaṁ na punas tavādiṁ paśyāmi viśveśvara viśva-rūpa “O my Lord, O gigantic viśva-rūpa form, O master of the universe, I see innumerable hands, bodies, mouths and eyes in all directions, and they are all unlimited. I cannot find the end of this manifestation, nor do I see the middle, nor the beginning.” Bhagavad-gītā was specifically spoken to Arjuna, and the viśva-rūpa was exhibited before him at his request. He was awarded the specific eyes to see this viśva-rūpa, yet although he was able to see the Lord’s innumerable hands and mouths, he was unable to see Him completely. Since Arjuna was unable to estimate the length and breadth of the potency of the Lord, who else would be able to do so? One may only indulge in miscalculation like the frog-philosopher. The frog-philosopher wanted to estimate the length and breadth of the Pacific Ocean by his experience of a well three cubic feet large, and thus he began to puff himself up to become as big as the Pacific Ocean, but at last he burst and died by this process. This story is applicable to the mental philosophers who, under the illusion of the Lord’s external energy, indulge in estimating the length and breadth of the Supreme Lord. The best path is to become a cool-headed, submissive devotee of the Lord, try to hear about the Lord from the bona fide spiritual master, and thus serve the Lord in transcendental loving service, as suggested in the previous verse. |
TEXT 38 AaTMaNaae_viSaTaae vTSa MaihMaa k-ivNaaidNaa ) Sa&vTSarSahóaNTae iDaYaa YaaeGaivPa¡-Yaa )) 38 )) ātmano ’vasito vatsa mahimā kavinādinā saṁvatsara-sahasrānte dhiyā yoga-vipakkayā SYNONYMS ātmanaḥ—of the Supreme Soul; avasitaḥ—known; vatsa—O my dear son; mahimā—glories; kavinā—by the poet Brahmā; ādinā—original; saṁvatsara—celestial years; sahasra-ante—at the end of one thousand; dhiyā—by intelligence; yoga-vipakkayā—by matured meditation. TRANSLATION O my son, the original poet, Brahmā, after mature meditation for one thousand celestial years, could know only that the glories of the Supreme Soul are inconceivable. PURPORT There are some froggish philosophers who want to know the Supreme Soul by means of philosophy and mental speculation. And when the devotees, who are to some extent in knowledge of the Supreme Lord, admit that the glories of the Lord are inestimable or inconceivable, the froggish philosophers adversely criticize them. These philosophers, like the frog in the well who tried to estimate the measurement of the Pacific Ocean, like to take trouble over fruitless mental speculation instead of taking instructions from devotees like the original poet, namely, Brahmā. Lord Brahmā underwent a severe type of meditation for one thousand celestial years, yet he said that the glories of the Lord are inconceivable. Therefore what can the froggish philosophers hope to gain from their mental speculations? It is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā that the mental speculator may fly through the sky of speculation with the velocity of the mind or the wind for thousands of millions of years, and still he will find it inconceivable. The devotees, however, do not waste time in such vain searching after knowledge of the Supreme, but they submissively hear the glories of the Lord from bona fide devotees. Thus they transcendentally enjoy the process of hearing and chanting. The Lord approves of the devotional activities of the devotees or mahātmās, and He says: mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā nitya-yuktā upāsate (Bg. 9.13–14) The pure devotees of the Lord take shelter of the parā prakṛti, the internal potency of the Lord called Lakṣmīdevī, Sītādevī, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī or Śrīmatī Rukmiṇīdevī, and thus they become actual mahātmās, or great souls. Mahātmā are not fond of indulging in mental speculations, but they actually take to the devotional service of the Lord, without the slightest deviation. Devotional service is manifested by the primary process of hearing and chanting about the activities of the Lord. This transcendental method practiced by the mahātmās gives them sufficient knowledge of the Lord because if the Lord can at all be known to some extent, it is only through the means of devotional service and no other way. One may go on speculating and waste the valuable time of his human life, but that will not help anyone to enter into the precincts of the Lord. The mahātmās, however, are not concerned with knowing the Lord by mental speculation because they enjoy hearing about His glorious activities in His transcendental dealings with His devotees or with the demons. The devotees take pleasure in both and are happy in this life and the life after. |
YaTaae_Pa[aPYa NYavTaRNTa vacê MaNaSaa Sah ) Ah& caNYa wMae devaSTaSMaE >aGavTae NaMa" )) 40 )) yato ’prāpya nyavartanta vācaś ca manasā saha ahaṁ cānya ime devās tasmai bhagavate namaḥ SYNONYMS yataḥ—from whom; aprāpya—being unable to measure; nyavartanta—cease to try; vācaḥ—words; ca—also; manasā—with the mind; saha—with; aham ca—also the ego; anye—other; ime—all these; devāḥ—demigods; tasmai—unto Him; bhagavate—unto the Personality of Godhead; namaḥ—offer obeisances. TRANSLATION Words, mind and ego, with their respective controlling demigods, have failed to achieve success in knowing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, we simply have to offer our respectful obeisances unto Him as a matter of sanity. PURPORT The froggish calculator may raise the objection that if the Absolute is unknowable even by the controlling deities of speech, mind and ego, namely the Vedas, Brahmā, Rudra and all the demigods headed by Bṛhaspati, then why should the devotees be so interested in this unknown object? The answer is that the transcendental ecstasy enjoyed by the devotees in delineating the pastimes of the Lord is certainly unknown to nondevotees and mental speculators. Unless one relishes transcendental joy, naturally one will come back from his speculations and concocted conclusions because he will see them as neither factual nor enjoyable. The devotees can at least know that the Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu, as the Vedic hymns confirm: oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) also confirms this fact: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ. By culture of Vedic knowledge one must know Lord Kṛṣṇa and should not falsely speculate on the word aham, or “I.” The only method for understanding the Supreme Truth is devotional service, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55): bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. Only by devotional service can one know that the ultimate truth is the Personality of Godhead and that Brahman and Paramātmā are only His partial features. This is confirmed in this verse by the great sage Maitreya. With devotion he offers his sincere surrender, namaḥ, to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhagavate. One has to follow in the footsteps of great sages and devotees like Maitreya and Vidura, Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and engage in the transcendental devotional service of the Lord if one would know His ultimate feature, which is above Brahman and Paramātmā. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Sixth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Creation of the Universal Form.” |
ivdur ovac b]øNa( k-Qa& >aGavTaiêNMaa}aSYaaivk-air<a" ) l/Il/Yaa caiPa YauJYaeriàGauR<aSYa Gau<aa" ik[-Yaa" )) 2 )) vidura uvāca brahman kathaṁ bhagavataś cin-mātrasyāvikāriṇaḥ līlayā cāpi yujyeran nirguṇasya guṇāḥ kriyāḥ SYNONYMS viduraḥ uvāca—Vidura said; brahman—O brāhmaṇa; katham—how; bhagavataḥ—of the Personality of Godhead; cit-mātrasya—of the complete spiritual whole; avikāriṇaḥ—of the unchangeable; līlayā—by His pastime; ca—either; api—even though it is so; yujyeran—take place; nirguṇasya—who is without the modes of nature; guṇāḥ—modes of nature; kriyāḥ—activities. TRANSLATION Śrī Vidura said: O great brāhmaṇa, since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the complete spiritual whole and is unchangeable, how is He connected with the material modes of nature and their activities? If this is His pastime, how do the activities of the unchangeable take place and exhibit qualities without the modes of nature? PURPORT As described in the previous chapter, the difference between the Supersoul, the Supreme Lord, and the living entities is that the activities of the Lord in creating the cosmic manifestation are performed by the Lord through the agency of His multifarious energies, but this manifestation is bewildering to the living entities. The Lord is therefore the master of the energies, whereas the living entities are subjugated by them. By asking various questions about transcendental activities, Vidura is clearing the misconception that when the Lord either descends on the earth in His incarnation or appears Himself with all His potencies, He too is subjected to the influence of māyā, just like an ordinary living entity. This is generally the calculation of less intelligent philosophers who consider the position of the Lord and that of the living entities to be on the same level. Vidura is hearing the great sage Maitreya refute these arguments. The Lord is described in this verse as cin-mātra, or completely spiritual. The Personality of Godhead has unlimited potencies to create and manifest many wonderful things, both temporary and permanent. Because this material world is the creation of His external energy, it thus appears to be temporary; it is manifested at certain intervals, maintained for some time, and again dissolved and conserved in His own energy. As described in Bhagavad-gītā (8.19), bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate. But the creation of His internal potency, the spiritual world, is not a temporary manifestation like the material world, but is eternal and full of transcendental knowledge, opulence, energy, strength, beauties and glories. Such manifestations of the Lord’s potencies are eternal and are therefore called nirguṇa, or free from all tinges of the modes of material nature, even up to the mode of material goodness. The spiritual world is transcendental even to material goodness and thus is unchangeable. Since the Supreme Lord of such eternal and unchangeable qualities is never subjugated by anything like material influence, how can His activities and form be conceived to be under the influence of illusory māyā, as is the case with the living entities? A juggler or magician displays many wonders with his acts and arts. He can become a cow by his magical tactics, and yet he is not that cow; but at the same time, the cow displayed by the magician is not different from him. Similarly, the material potency is not different from the Lord because it is an emanation from Him, but at the same time, that manifestation of potency is not the Supreme Lord. The Lord’s transcendental knowledge and potency always remain the same; they do not change, even when displayed in the material world. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord descends on the earth by His own internal potency, and therefore there is no question of His becoming materially contaminated, changed or otherwise affected by the modes of material nature. The Lord is saguṇa by His own internal potency, but at the same time He is nirguṇa, since He is not in touch with the material energy. The restrictions of the prison house are applicable to prisoners who are condemned by the king’s law, but the king is never affected by such implications, although he may visit the prison house out of his good will. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa the six opulences of the Lord are stated to be nondifferent from Him. The opulences of transcendental knowledge, strength, opulence, potency, beauty and renunciation are all identical with the Personality of Godhead. When He personally displays such opulences in the material world, they have no connection with the modes of material nature. The very word cin-mātratva is the guarantee that the Lord’s activities are always transcendental, even when displayed in the material world. His activities are as good as the Supreme Personality Himself, otherwise liberated devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī would not have been attracted by them. Vidura inquired how the Lord’s activities can be in the modes of material nature, as is sometimes miscalculated by persons with a poor fund of knowledge. The inebriety of the material qualities is due to the difference between the material body and the spirit soul. The conditioned soul’s activities are displayed through the medium of the modes of material nature and are therefore perverted in appearance. However, the Lord’s body and the Lord Himself are one and the same, and when the Lord’s activities are displayed, they are certainly nondifferent from the Lord in all respects. The conclusion is that persons who consider the Lord’s activities material are certainly mistaken. |
TEXT 3 §-I@aYaaMauÛMaae_>aRSYa k-aMaiê§-Ii@zaNYaTa" ) SvTaSTa*áSYa c k-Qa& iNav*taSYa SadaNYaTa" )) 3 )) krīḍāyām udyamo ’rbhasya kāmaś cikrīḍiṣānyataḥ svatas-tṛptasya ca kathaṁ nivṛttasya sadānyataḥ SYNONYMS krīḍāyām—in the matter of playing; udyamaḥ—enthusiasm; arbhasya—of the boys; kāmaḥ—desire; cikrīḍiṣā—willingness to play; anyataḥ—with other boys; svataḥ-tṛptasya—for one who is self-satisfied; ca—also; katham—what for; nivṛttasya—one who is detached; sadā—at all times; anyataḥ—otherwise. TRANSLATION Boys are enthusiastic to play with other boys or with various diversions because they are encouraged by desire. But there is no possibility of such desire for the Lord because He is self-satisfied and detached from everything at all times. PURPORT Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is one without a second, there is no possibility that anything besides Him can exist. He expands Himself by His energies in multiforms of self-expansions and separated expansions as well, just as fire expands itself by heat and light. Since there is no other existence besides the Lord Himself, the Lord’s association with anything manifests His association with Himself. In Bhagavad-gītā (9.4) the Lord says: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ “The complete manifestation of the cosmic situation is an expansion of the Lord Himself in His impersonal feature. All things are situated in Him only, yet He is not in them.” That is the opulence of the Lord’s attachment and detachment. He is attached to everything, yet He is detached from all. |
deXaTa" k-al/Taae Yaae_SaavvSQaaTa" SvTaae_NYaTa" ) Aivlu/áavbaeDaaTMaa Sa YauJYaeTaaJaYaa k-QaMa( )) 5 )) deśataḥ kālato yo ’sāv avasthātaḥ svato ’nyataḥ aviluptāvabodhātmā sa yujyetājayā katham SYNONYMS deśataḥ—circumstantial; kālataḥ—by the influence of time; yaḥ—one who; asau—the living entity; avasthātaḥ—by situation; svataḥ—by dream; anyataḥ—by others; avilupta—extinct; avabodha—consciousness; ātmā—pure self; saḥ—he; yujyeta—engaged; ajayā—with nescience; katham—how is it so. TRANSLATION The pure soul is pure consciousness and is never out of consciousness, either due to circumstances, time, situations, dreams or other causes. How then does he become engaged in nescience? PURPORT The consciousness of the living being is always present and never changes under any circumstances, as above mentioned. When a living man moves from one place to another, he is conscious that he has changed his position. He is always present in the past, present and future, like electricity. One can remember incidents from his past and can conjecture about his future also on the basis of past experience. He never forgets his personal identity, even though he is placed in awkward circumstances. How then can the living entity become forgetful of his real identity as pure spirit soul and identify with matter unless influenced by something beyond himself? The conclusion is that the living entity is influenced by the avidyā potency, as confirmed in both the Viṣṇu Purāṇa and the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The living entity is mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā (7.5) as parā prakṛti, and in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa he is mentioned as the parā śakti. He is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord as potency and not as the potent. The potent can exhibit many potencies, but the potency cannot equal the potent at any stage. One potency may be overcome by another potency, but to the potent, all potencies are under control. The jīva potency, or the kṣetrajña-śakti of the Lord, has the tendency to be overpowered by the external potency, avidyā-karma-saṁjñā, and in this way he is placed in the awkward circumstances of material existence. The living entity cannot be forgetful of his real identity unless influenced by the avidyā potency. Because the living entity is prone to the influence of the avidyā potency, he can never equal the supreme potent. |
TEXT 9 MaE}aeYa ovac SaeYa& >aGavTaae MaaYaa YaàYaeNa ivåDYaTae ) wRìrSYa ivMau¢-SYa k-aPaR<YaMauTa bNDaNaMa( )) 9 )) maitreya uvāca seyaṁ bhagavato māyā yan nayena virudhyate īśvarasya vimuktasya kārpaṇyam uta bandhanam SYNONYMS maitreyaḥ uvāca—Maitreya said; sā iyam—such a statement; bhagavataḥ—of the Personality of Godhead; māyā—illusion; yat—that which; nayena—by logic; virudhyate—becomes contradictory; īśvarasya—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vimuktasya—of the ever liberated; kārpaṇyam—insufficiency; uta—as also, what to speak of; bandhanam—bondage. TRANSLATION Śrī Maitreya said: Certain conditioned souls put forward the theory that the Supreme Brahman, or the Personality of Godhead, is overcome by illusion, or māyā, and at the same time they maintain that He is unconditioned. This is against all logic. PURPORT Sometimes it appears that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is one hundred percent spiritual, cannot be the cause of the illusory potency which covers the knowledge of the individual soul. But factually there is no doubt that the illusory, external energy is also part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. When Vyāsadeva realized the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he saw the Lord along with His external potency, which covers the pure knowledge of the individual living entities. Why the external energy acts in this way may be considered as follows, as analyzed by great commentators like Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura and Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. Although the material, illusory energy is distinct from the spiritual energy, it is one of the many energies of the Lord, and thus the material modes of nature (the mode of goodness, etc.) are surely qualities of the Lord. The energy and the energetic Personality of Godhead are not different, and although such energy is one with the Lord, He is never overpowered by it. Although the living entities are also parts and parcels of the Lord, they are overcome by the material energy. The inconceivable yogam aiśvaram of the Lord, as mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā (9.5), is misunderstood by the froggish philosophers. In order to support a theory that Nārāyaṇa (the Lord Himself) becomes a daridra-nārāyaṇa, a poor man, they propose that the material energy overcomes the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, however, offer a very nice example in explanation. They say that although the sun is all light, the clouds, darkness and snowfall are all part and parcel of the sun. Without the sun there is no possibility of the sky’s being overcast with clouds or darkness, nor can there be snowfall on the earth. Although life is sustained by the sun, life is also disturbed by darkness and snowfall produced by the sun. But it is also a fact that the sun itself is never overcome by darkness, clouds or snowfall; the sun is far, far away from such disturbances. Only those who have a poor fund of knowledge say that the sun is covered by a cloud or by darkness. Similarly, the Supreme Brahman, or the Parabrahman, the Personality of Godhead, is always unaffected by the influence of the material energy, although it is one of His energies (parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate). There is no reason to assert that the Supreme Brahman is overpowered by the illusory energy. The clouds, darkness and snowfall can cover only a very insignificant portion of the sun’s rays. Similarly, the modes of material nature may react upon the raylike living entities. It is the misfortune of the living entity, certainly not without reason, that the influence of the material energy acts on his pure consciousness and eternal bliss. This covering up of pure consciousness and eternal bliss is due to avidyā-karmā-saṁjñā, the energy which acts on the infinitesimal living entities who misuse their minute independence. According to Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Bhagavad-gītā and all other Vedic literatures, the living entities are generated from the taṭasthā energy of the Lord, and thus they are always the energy of the Lord and are not the energetic. The living entities are like the sun’s rays. Although, as explained above, there is no qualitative difference between the sun and its rays, the sun’s rays are sometimes overpowered by another energy of the sun, namely by clouds or by snowfall. Similarly, although the living entities are qualitatively one with the superior energy of the Lord, they have the tendency to be overpowered by the inferior, material energy. In the Vedic hymns it is said that the living entities are like the sparks of a fire. The sparks of fire also are fire, but the burning potency of the sparks is different from that of the original fire. When the sparks fly out of touch with the original fire, they come under the influence of a nonfiery atmosphere; thus they maintain the potency to be again one with the fire as sparks, but not as the original fire. The sparks can everlastingly remain within the original fire as its parts and parcels, but the moment the sparks become separated from the original fire, their misfortunes and miseries begin. The clear conclusion is that the Supreme Lord, who is the original fire, is never overpowered, but the infinitesimal sparks of the fire can become overpowered by the illusory effect of māyā. It is a most ludicrous argument to say that the Supreme Lord is overpowered by His own material energy. The Lord is the master of the material energy, but the living entities are in the conditioned state, controlled by the material energy. That is the version of Bhagavad-gītā. The froggish philosophers who put forward the argument that the Supreme Lord is overpowered by the material mode of goodness are themselves illusioned by the same material energy, although they think of themselves as liberated souls. They support their arguments by a false and laborious jugglery of words, which is a gift of the same illusory energy of the Lord. But the poor froggish philosophers, due to a false sense of knowledge, cannot understand the situation. In the Sixth Canto, Ninth Chapter, thirty-fourth verse, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated: Thus the demigods prayed to the Supreme Lord that although His activities are very difficult to understand, they can still be understood to some extent by those who sincerely engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The demigods admitted that although the Lord is apart from the material influence or creation, He nevertheless creates, maintains and annihilates the complete cosmic manifestation by the agency of the demigods. |
YadQaeRNa ivNaaMauZYa Pau&Sa AaTMaivPaYaRYa" ) Pa[TaqYaTa oPad]íu" SviXarX^edNaaidk-" )) 10 )) yad arthena vināmuṣya puṁsa ātma-viparyayaḥ pratīyata upadraṣṭuḥ sva-śiraś chedanādikaḥ SYNONYMS yat—thus; arthena—a purpose or meaning; vinā—without; amuṣya—of such a one; puṁsaḥ—of the living entity; ātma-viparyayaḥ—upset about self-identification; pratīyate—so appear; upadraṣṭuḥ—of the superficial onlooker; sva-śiraḥ—own head; chedana-ādikaḥ—cutting off. TRANSLATION The living entity is in distress regarding his self-identity. He has no factual background, like a man who dreams that he sees his head cut off. PURPORT A teacher in school once threatened his pupil that he would cut off the pupil’s head and hang it on the wall so that the child could see how his head had been cut off. The child became frightened and stopped his mischief. Similarly, the miseries of the pure soul and the disruption of his self-identification are managed by the external energy of the Lord, which controls those mischievous living entities who want to go against the will of the Lord. Actually there is no bondage or misery for the living entity, nor does he ever lose his pure knowledge. In his pure consciousness, when he thinks a little seriously about his position, he can understand that he is eternally subordinate to the mercy of the Supreme and that his attempt to become one with the Supreme Lord is a false illusion. Life after life the living entity falsely tries to lord it over material nature and become the lord of the material world, but there is no tangible result. At last, when frustrated, he gives up his material activities and tries to become one with the Lord and speculate with much jugglery of words, but without success. These activities are performed under the dictation of the illusory energy. The experience is compared to the experience of one’s having his head cut off in a dream. The man whose head has been cut off also sees that his head has been cut off. If a person’s head is severed he loses his power to see. Therefore if a man sees that his head has been cut off, it means that he thinks like that in hallucination. Similarly a living entity is eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord, and he has this knowledge with him, but, artificially, he thinks that he is God himself and that although he is God he has lost his knowledge due to māyā. This conception has no meaning, just as there is no meaning to seeing one’s head being cut off. This is the process by which knowledge is covered. And because this artificial rebellious condition of the living entity gives him all troubles, it is to be understood that he should take to his normal life as a devotee of the Lord and be relieved from the misconception of being God. The so-called liberation of thinking oneself God is that last reaction of avidyā by which the living entity is entrapped. The conclusion is that a living entity deprived of eternal transcendental service to the Lord becomes illusioned in many ways. Even in his conditional life he is the eternal servant of the Lord. His servitude under the spell of illusory māyā is also a manifestation of his eternal condition of service. Because he has rebelled against the service of the Lord, he is therefore put in the service of the māyā. He is still serving, but in a perverted manner. When he wants to get out of service under material bondage, he next desires to become one with the Lord. This is another illusion. The best course, therefore, is to surrender unto the Lord and thus get rid of the illusory māyā for good, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14): daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te |
TEXT 13 YadeiNd]YaaeParaMaae_Qa d]í\aTMaiNa Pare hraE ) ivl/IYaNTae Tada (c)e-Xaa" Sa&SauáSYaev k*-TòXa" )) 13 )) yadendriyoparāmo ’tha draṣṭrātmani pare harau vilīyante tadā kleśāḥ saṁsuptasyeva kṛtsnaśaḥ SYNONYMS yadā—when; indriya—senses; uparāmaḥ—satiated; atha—thus; draṣṭṛ-ātmani—unto the seer, the Supersoul; pare—in the Transcendence; harau—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vilīyante—become merged in; tadā—at that time; kleśāḥ—miseries; saṁsuptasya—one who has enjoyed sound sleep; iva—like; kṛtsnaśaḥ—completely. TRANSLATION When the senses are satisfied in the seer-Supersoul, the Personality of Godhead, and merge in Him, all miseries are completely vanquished, as after a sound sleep. PURPORT The quivering of the living entity as described above is due to the senses. Since the entire material existence is meant for sense gratification, the senses are the medium of material activities, and they cause the quivering of the steady soul. Therefore, these senses are to be detached from all such material activities. According to the impersonalists the senses are stopped from work by merging the soul in the Supersoul Brahman. The devotees, however, do not stop the material senses from acting, but they engage their transcendental senses in the service of the Transcendence, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In either case, the activities of the senses in the material field are to be stopped by cultivation of knowledge, and, if possible, they can be engaged in the service of the Lord. The senses are transcendental in nature, but their activities become polluted when contaminated by matter. We have to treat the senses to cure them of the material disease, not stop them from acting, as suggested by the impersonalist. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.59) it is said that one ceases all material activities only when satisfied by contact with a better engagement. Consciousness is active by nature and cannot be stopped from working. Artificially stopping a mischievous child is not the real remedy. The child must be given some better engagement so that he will automatically stop causing mischief. In the same way, the mischievous activities of the senses can be stopped only by better engagement in relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the eyes are engaged in seeing the beautiful form of the Lord, the tongue engaged in tasting prasāda, or remnants of foodstuff offered to the Lord, the ears are engaged in hearing His glories, the hands engaged in cleaning the temple of the Lord, the legs engaged in visiting His temples—or when all the senses are engaged in transcendental variegatedness—then only can the transcendental senses become satiated and eternally free from material engagement. The Lord, as the Supersoul residing in everyone’s heart and as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the transcendental world far beyond the material creation, is the seer of all our activities. Our activities must be so transcendentally saturated that the Lord will be kind enough to look upon us favorably and engage us in His transcendental service; then only can the senses be satisfied completely and be no longer troubled by material attraction. |
TEXT 19 YaTSaevYaa >aGavTa" kU-$=SQaSYa MaDauiÜz" ) riTaraSaae >avetaqv]" PaadYaaeVYaRSaNaadRNa" )) 19 )) yat-sevayā bhagavataḥ kūṭa-sthasya madhu-dviṣaḥ rati-rāso bhavet tīvraḥ pādayor vyasanārdanaḥ SYNONYMS yat—to whom; sevayā—by service; bhagavataḥ—of the Personality of Godhead; kūṭa-sthasya—of the unchangeable; madhu-dviṣaḥ—the enemy of the Madhu asura; rati-rāsaḥ—attachment in different relationships; bhavet—develops; tīvraḥ—highly ecstatic; pādayoḥ—of the feet; vyasana—distresses; ardanaḥ—vanquishing. TRANSLATION By serving the feet of the spiritual master, one is enabled to develop transcendental ecstasy in the service of the Personality of Godhead, who is the unchangeable enemy of the Madhu demon and whose service vanquishes one’s material distresses. PURPORT The association of a bona fide spiritual master like the sage Maitreya can be of absolute help in achieving transcendental attachment for the direct service of the Lord. The Lord is the enemy of the Madhu demon, or in other words He is the enemy of the suffering of His pure devotee. The word rati-rāsaḥ is significant in this verse. Service to the Lord is rendered in different transcendental mellows (relationships): neutral, active, friendly, parental and nuptial. A living entity in the liberated position of transcendental service to the Lord becomes attracted to one of the above-mentioned mellows, and when one is engaged in transcendental loving service to the Lord, one’s service attachment in the material world is automatically vanquished. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.59), rasa-varjaṁ raso ’py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. |
TEXT 35 YaeNa va >aGava&STauZYaeÖMaRYaaeiNaJaRNaadRNa" ) SaMPa[SaqdiTa va YaezaMaeTada:Yaaih Mae_Naga )) 35 )) yena vā bhagavāṁs tuṣyed dharma-yonir janārdanaḥ samprasīdati vā yeṣām etad ākhyāhi me ’nagha SYNONYMS yena—by which; vā—either; bhagavān—the Personality of Godhead; tuṣyet—is satisfied; dharma-yoniḥ—the father of all religion; janārdanaḥ—the controller of all living being; samprasīdati—completely satisfied; vā—either, or; yeṣām—of those; etat—all these; ākhyāhi—kindly describe; me—unto me; anagha—O sinless one. TRANSLATION O sinless one, because the Personality of Godhead, the controller of all living entities, is the father of all religion and all those who are candidates for religious activities, kindly describe how He can be completely satisfied. PURPORT All religious activities are meant ultimately to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is the father of all religious principles. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.16), four kinds of pious men—the needy, the distressed, the enlightened and the inquisitive—approach the Lord in devotional service, and their devotion is mixed with material affection. But above them are the pure devotees, whose devotion is not tainted by any material tinges of fruitive work or speculative knowledge. Those who are only miscreants throughout their lives are compared to demons (Bg. 7.15). They are bereft of all knowledge, in spite of any academic educational career they may pursue. Such miscreants are never candidates for satisfying the Lord. |
TEXT 38 PauåzSYa c Sa&SQaaNa& SvæPa& va ParSYa c ) jaNa& c NaEGaMa& Yatad(GauåiXaZYaPa[YaaeJaNaMa( )) 38 )) puruṣasya ca saṁsthānaṁ svarūpaṁ vā parasya ca jñānaṁ ca naigamaṁ yat tad guru-śiṣya-prayojanam SYNONYMS puruṣasya—of the living entity; ca—also; saṁsthānam—existence; svarūpam—identity; vā—either, or; parasya—of the Supreme; ca—also; jñānam—knowledge; ca—also; naigamam—in the matter of the Upaniṣads; yat—that; tat—the same; guru—spiritual master; śiṣya—disciple; prayojanam—necessity. TRANSLATION What are the truths regarding the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead? What are their identities ? What are the specific values in the knowledge in the Vedas, and what are the necessities for the spiritual master and his disciples? PURPORT The living entities are constitutionally servitors of the Lord, who can accept all kinds of service from everyone. It is clearly declared (Bg. 5.29) that the Lord is the supreme enjoyer of the benefits of all sacrifices and penances, the proprietor of all that is manifested and the friend of all living entities. That is His real identity. Therefore, when the living entity accepts this supreme proprietorship of the Lord and acts in that attitude, he resumes his real identity. In order to elevate the living entity to this standard of knowledge, there is the necessity of spiritual association. The bona fide spiritual master desires that his disciples know the process of rendering transcendental service to the Lord, and the disciples also know that they have to learn about the eternal relationship between God and the living entity from a self-realized soul. To disseminate transcendental knowledge one must retire from mundane activities on the strength of enlightenment in knowledge in terms of Vedic wisdom. That is the sum and substance of all the questions in this verse. |
TEXT 40 WTaaNMae Pa*C^Ta" Pa[énaNa( hre" k-MaRivivTSaYaa ) b]Uih Mae_jSYa iMa}aTvadJaYaa Naíc+auz" )) 40 )) etān me pṛcchataḥ praśnān hareḥ karma-vivitsayā brūhi me ’jñasya mitratvād ajayā naṣṭa-cakṣuṣaḥ SYNONYMS etān—all these; me—my; pṛcchataḥ—of one who inquires; praśnān—questions; hareḥ—of the Supreme Lord; karma—pastimes; vivitsayā—desiring to know; brūhi—kindly describe; me—unto me; ajñasya—of one who is ignorant; mitratvāt—because of friendship; ajayā—by the external energy; naṣṭa-cakṣuṣaḥ—those who have lost their vision. TRANSLATION My dear sage, I have put all these questions before you with a view to knowing the pastimes of Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are the friend of all, so kindly describe them for all those who have lost their vision. PURPORT Vidura put forward many varieties of questions with a view to understanding the principles of transcendental loving service to the Lord. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.41), devotional service to the Lord is one, and the mind of the devotee is not diverted to the many branches of uncertainties. Vidura’s purpose was to be situated in that service to the Lord, wherein one merges undivertedly. He claimed the friendship of Maitreya Muni, not because he was Maitreya’s son but because Maitreya was actually the friend of all who have lost their spiritual vision due to material influence. |
TEXT 19 Sa wTQaMauÜq+Ya TadBJaNaal/‚ Naa@qi>arNTaJaRl/MaaivveXa ) NaavaRGGaTaSTaT%rNaal/Naal/‚ Naai>a& ivicNv&STadivNdTaaJa" )) 19 )) sa ittham udvīkṣya tad-abja-nāla- nāḍībhir antar-jalam āviveśa nārvāg-gatas tat-khara-nāla-nāla- nābhiṁ vicinvaṁs tad avindatājaḥ SYNONYMS saḥ—he (Brahmā); ittham—in this way; udvīkṣya—contemplating; tat—that; abja—lotus; nāla—stem; nāḍībhiḥ—by the pipe; antaḥ-jalam—within the water; āviveśa—entered into; na—not; arvāk-gataḥ—in spite of going inside; tat-khara-nāla—the stem of the lotus; nāla—pipe; nābhim—of the navel; vicinvan—thinking much of it; tat—that; avindata—understood; ajaḥ—the self-born. TRANSLATION Lord Brahmā, thus contemplating, entered the water through the channel of the stem of the lotus. But in spite of entering the stem and going nearer to the navel of Viṣṇu, he could not trace out the root. PURPORT By dint of one’s personal endeavor one may go nearer to the Lord, but without the Lord’s mercy one cannot reach the ultimate point. Such understanding of the Lord is possible only by devotional service, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55): bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. |
k-ale/Na Saae_Ja" PauåzaYauzai>a‚ Pa[v*taYaaeGaeNa ivæ!baeDa" ) SvYa& TadNTaôRdYae_v>aaTa‚ MaPaXYaTaaPaXYaTa Yaà PaUvRMa( )) 22 )) kālena so ’jaḥ puruṣāyuṣābhi- pravṛtta-yogena virūḍha-bodhaḥ svayaṁ tad antar-hṛdaye ’vabhātam apaśyatāpaśyata yan na pūrvam SYNONYMS kālena—in due course of time; saḥ—he; ajaḥ—the self-born Brahmā; puruṣa-āyuṣā—by the duration of his age; abhipravṛtta—being engaged; yogena—in meditation; virūḍha—developed; bodhaḥ—intelligence; svayam—automatically; tat antaḥ-hṛdaye—in the heart; avabhātam—manifested; apaśyata—saw; apaśyata—did see; yat—which; na—not; pūrvam—before. TRANSLATION At the end of Brahmā’s one hundred years, when his meditation was complete, he developed the required knowledge, and as a result he could see in his head the Supreme within himself, whom he could not see before with the greatest endeavor. PURPORT The Supreme Lord can be experienced only through the process of devotional service and not by one’s personal endeavor in mental speculation. The age of Brahmā is calculated in terms of divya years, which are distinct from the solar years of human beings. The divya years are calculated in Bhagavad-gītā (8.17): sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ. Brahmā’s one day is equal to one thousand times the aggregate of the four yugas (calculated to be 4,300,000 years). On that basis, Brahmā meditated for one hundred years before he could understand the supreme cause of all causes, and then he wrote the Brahma-saṁhitā, which is approved and recognized by Lord Caitanya and in which he sings, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. One has to wait for the mercy of the Lord before one can either render service unto Him or know Him as He is. |
TEXT 24 Pa[e+aa& i+aPaNTa& hirTaaePal/ad]e" SaNDYaa>a]NaqveåååKMaMaUDanR" ) rÒaedDaaraEziDaSaaEMaNaSYa vNaóJaae ve<au>auJaax(iga]Paax(ga]e" )) 24 )) prekṣāṁ kṣipantaṁ haritopalādreḥ sandhyābhra-nīver uru-rukma-mūrdhnaḥ ratnodadhārauṣadhi-saumanasya vana-srajo veṇu-bhujāṅghripāṅghreḥ SYNONYMS prekṣām—the panorama; kṣipantam—deriding; harita—green; upala—coral; adreḥ—of the hell; sandhyā-abhra-nīveḥ—of the dress of the evening sky; uru—great; rukma—gold; mūrdhnaḥ—on the summit; ratna—jewels; udadhāra—waterfalls; auṣadhi—herbs; saumanasya—of the scenery; vana-srajaḥ—flower garland; veṇu—dress; bhuja—hands; aṅghripa—trees; aṅghreḥ—legs. TRANSLATION The luster of the transcendental body of the Lord mocked the beauty of the coral mountain. The coral mountain is very beautifully dressed by the evening sky, but the yellow dress of the Lord mocked its beauty. There is gold on the summit of the mountain, but the Lord’s helmet, bedecked with jewels, mocked it. The mountain’s waterfalls, herbs, etc., with a panorama of flowers, seem like garlands, but the Lord’s gigantic body, and His hands and legs, decorated with jewels, pearls, tulasī leaves and flower garlands, mocked the scene on the mountain. PURPORT The panoramic beauty of nature, which strikes one with wonder, may be taken as a perverted reflection of the transcendental body of the Lord. One who is therefore attracted by the beauty of the Lord is no longer attracted by the beauty of material nature, although he does not minimize its beauty. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.59) it is described that one who is attracted by param, the Supreme, is no longer attracted by anything inferior. |
Pau&Saa& Svk-aMaaYa iviv¢-MaaGaOE‚ r>YacRTaa& k-aMadugaax(iga]PaÚMa( ) Pa[dXaRYaNTa& k*-PaYaa Na%eNdu‚ MaYaU%i>aàax(Gauil/caåPa}aMa( )) 26 )) puṁsāṁ sva-kāmāya vivikta-mārgair abhyarcatāṁ kāma-dughāṅghri-padmam pradarśayantaṁ kṛpayā nakhendu- mayūkha-bhinnāṅguli-cāru-patram SYNONYMS puṁsām—of the human being; sva-kāmāya—according to the desire; vivikta-mārgaiḥ—by the path of devotional service; abhyarcatām—worshiped; kāma-dugha-aṅghri-padmam—the lotus feet of the Lord, which can award all desired fruits; pradarśayantam—while showing them; kṛpayā—by causeless mercy; nakha—nails; indu—moonlike; mayūkha—rays; bhinna—divided; aṅguli—figures; cāru-patram—very beautiful. TRANSLATION The Lord showed His lotus feet by raising them. His lotus feet are the source of all awards achieved by devotional service free from material contamination. Such awards are for those who worship Him in pure devotion. The splendor of the transcendental rays from His moonlike toenails and fingernails appeared like the petals of a flower. PURPORT The Lord fulfills the desires of everyone just as one desires. Pure devotees are interested in achieving the transcendental service of the Lord, which is nondifferent from Him. Therefore, the Lord is the only desire of the pure devotees, and devotional service is the only spotless process for achieving His favor. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.1.11) that pure devotional service is jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam: [Madhya 19.167] pure devotional service is without any tinge of speculative knowledge and fruitive activities. Such devotional service is able to award the pure devotee the highest result, namely direct association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa. According to the Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad, the Lord showed one of the many thousands of petals of His lotus feet. It is said: brāhmaṇo’sāv anavarataṁ me dhyātaḥ stutaḥ parārdhānte so ’budhyata gopa-veśo me purastāt āvirbabhūva. After penetrating for millions of years, Lord Brahmā could understand the transcendental form of the Lord as Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in the dress of a cowherd boy, and thus he recorded his experience in the Brahma-saṁhitā in the famous prayer, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. |
TEXT 1 b]øaevac jaTaae_iSa Mae_Û SauicraàNau deh>aaJaa& Na jaYaTae >aGavTaae GaiTairTYavÛMa( ) NaaNYatvdiSTa >aGavàiPa Taà éuÖ& MaaYaaGau<aVYaiTak-raÛduåivR>aaiSa )) 1 )) brahmovāca jñāto ’si me ’dya sucirān nanu deha-bhājāṁ na jñāyate bhagavato gatir ity avadyam nānyat tvad asti bhagavann api tan na śuddhaṁ māyā-guṇa-vyatikarād yad urur vibhāsi SYNONYMS brahmā uvāca—Lord Brahmā said; jñātaḥ—known; asi—You are; me—by me; adya—today; sucirāt—after a long time; nanu—but; deha-bhājām—of one who has a material body; na—not; jñāyate—is known; bhagavataḥ—of the Personality of Godhead; gatiḥ—course; iti—so it is; avadyam—great offense; na anyat—none beyond; tvat—You; asti—there is; bhagavan—O my Lord; api—even though there is; tat—anything that may be; na—never; śuddham—absolute; māyā—material energy; guṇa-vyatikarāt—because of the mixture of the modes of; yat—to which; uruḥ—transcendental; vibhāsi—You are. TRANSLATION Lord Brahmā said: O my Lord, today, after many, many years of penance, I have come to know about You. Oh, how unfortunate the embodied living entities are that they are unable to know Your personality! My Lord, You are the only knowable object because there is nothing supreme beyond You. If there is anything supposedly superior to You, it is not the Absolute. You exist as the Supreme by exhibiting the creative energy of matter. PURPORT The highest peak of the ignorance of the living entities who are conditioned by material bodies is that they are unaware of the supreme cause of the cosmic manifestation. Different people have different theories regarding the supreme cause, but none of them are genuine. The only supreme cause is Viṣṇu, and the intervening impediment is the illusory energy of the Lord. The Lord has employed His wonderful material energy in manifesting many, many wonderful distractions in the material world, and the conditioned souls, illusioned by the same energy, are thus unable to know the supreme cause. The most stalwart scientists and philosophers, therefore, cannot be accepted as wonderful. They only appear wonderful because they are instruments in the hands of the illusory energy of the Lord. Under illusion, the general mass of people deny the existence of the Supreme Lord and accept the foolish products of illusory energy as supreme. One can know the supreme cause, the Personality of Godhead, by the causeless mercy of the Lord, which is bestowed upon the Lord’s pure devotees like Brahmā and those in his disciplic succession. By acts of penance only was Lord Brahmā able to see the Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and by realization only could he understand the Lord as He is. Brahmā was extremely satisfied upon observing the magnificent beauty and opulence of the Lord, and he admitted that nothing can be comparable to Him. Only by penance can one appreciate the beauty and opulence of the Lord, and when one is acquainted with that beauty and opulence, he is no longer attracted by any other. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (2.59): paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Foolish human beings who do not endeavor to investigate the supreme beauty and opulence of the Lord are here condemned by Brahmā. It is imperative that every human being try for such knowledge, and if anyone does not do so, his life is spoiled. Anything that is beautiful and opulent in the material sense is enjoyed by those living entities who are like crows. Crows always engage in picking at rejected garbage, whereas the white ducks do not mix with the crows. Rather, they take pleasure in transparent lakes with lotus flowers, surrounded by beautiful orchards. Both crows and ducks are undoubtedly birds by birth, but they are not of the same feather. |
TEXT 3 NaaTa" Par& ParMa YaÙvTa" SvæPa‚ MaaNaNdMaa}aMaivk-LPaMaivÖvcR" ) PaXYaaiMa ivìSa*JaMaek-MaivìMaaTMaNa( >aUTaeiNd]YaaTMak-MadSTa oPaaié[Taae_iSMa )) 3 )) nātaḥ paraṁ parama yad bhavataḥ svarūpam ānanda-mātram avikalpam aviddha-varcaḥ paśyāmi viśva-sṛjam ekam aviśvam ātman bhūtendriyātmaka-madas ta upāśrito ’smi SYNONYMS na—do not; ataḥ param—hereafter; parama—O Supreme; yat—that which; bhavataḥ—of Your Lordship; svarūpam—eternal form; ānanda-mātram—impersonal Brahman effulgence; avikalpam—without changes; aviddha-varcaḥ—without deterioration of potency; paśyāmi—do I see; viśva-sṛjam—creator of the cosmic manifestation; ekam—one without a second; aviśvam—and yet not of matter; ātman—O Supreme Cause; bhūta—body; indriya—senses; ātmaka—on such identification; madaḥ—pride; te—unto You; upāśritaḥ—surrendered; asmi—I am. TRANSLATION O my Lord, I do not see a form superior to Your present form of eternal bliss and knowledge. In Your impersonal Brahman effulgence in the spiritual sky, there is no occasional change and no deterioration of internal potency. I surrender unto You because whereas I am proud of my material body and senses, Your Lordship is the cause of the cosmic manifestation and yet You are untouched by matter. PURPORT As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55), bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: the Supreme Personality of Godhead can only be partially known, and only by the process of devotional service to the Lord. Lord Brahmā became aware that the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa has many, many eternal, blissful forms of knowledge. He has described such expansions of the Supreme Lord, Govinda, in his Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33), as follows: advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi “I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is nondual and infallible. He is the original cause of all causes, even though He expands in many, many forms. Although He is the oldest personality, He is ever youthful, unaffected by old age. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be known by the academic wisdom of the Vedas; one has to approach the devotee of the Lord to understand Him.” The only way to understand the Lord as He is, is by devotional service to the Lord, or by approaching the devotee of the Lord who always has the Lord in his heart. By devotional perfection one can understand that the impersonal brahmajyoti is only a partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, and that the three puruṣa expansions in the material creation are His plenary portions. In the spiritual sky of the brahmajyoti there is no change of various kalpas or millenniums, and there are no creative activities in the Vaikuṇṭha worlds. The influence of time is conspicuous by its absence. The rays of the transcendental body of the Lord, the unlimited brahmajyoti, are undeterred by the influence of material energy. In the material world also, the initial creator is the Lord Himself. He brings about the creation of Brahmā, who becomes the subsequent creator, empowered by the Lord. |
TaÜa wd& >auvNaMa(r)l/ Ma(r)l/aYa DYaaNae SMa Naae diXaRTa& Ta oPaaSak-aNaaMa( ) TaSMaE NaMaae >aGavTae_NauivDaeMa Tau>Ya& Yaae_Naad*Taae Nark->aaiG>arSaTPa[Sa(r)E" )) 4 )) tad vā idaṁ bhuvana-maṅgala maṅgalāya dhyāne sma no darśitaṁ ta upāsakānām tasmai namo bhagavate ’nuvidhema tubhyaṁ yo ’nādṛto naraka-bhāgbhir asat-prasaṅgaiḥ SYNONYMS tat—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa; vā—or; idam—this present form; bhuvana-maṅgala—O You who are all-auspicious for all the universes; maṅgalāya—for the sake of all prosperity; dhyāne—in meditation; sma—as it were; naḥ—unto us; darśitam—manifested; te—Your; upāsakānām—of the devotees; tasmai—unto Him; namaḥ—my respectful obeisances; bhagavate—unto the Personality of Godhead; anuvidhema—I perform; tubhyam—unto You; yaḥ—which; anādṛtaḥ—is neglected; naraka-bhāgbhiḥ—by persons destined for hell; asat-prasaṅgaiḥ—by material topics. TRANSLATION This present form, or any transcendental form expanded by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is equally auspicious for all the universes. Since You have manifested this eternal personal form upon whom Your devotees meditate, I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You. Those who are destined to be dispatched to the path of hell neglect Your personal form because of speculating on material topics. PURPORT Regarding the personal and impersonal features of the Supreme Absolute Truth, the personal forms exhibited by the Lord in His different plenary expansions are all for the benediction of all the universes. The personal form of the Lord is also worshiped in meditation as Supersoul, Paramātmā, but the impersonal brahmajyoti is not worshiped. Persons who are addicted to the impersonal feature of the Lord, whether in meditation or otherwise, are all pilgrims to hell because, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (12.5), impersonalists simply waste their time in mundane mental speculation because they are addicted more to false arguments than to reality. Therefore, the association of the impersonalists is condemned herewith by Brahmā. All the plenary expansions of the Personality of Godhead are equally potent, as confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.46): dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya dīpāyate vivṛta-hetu-samāna-dharmā yas tādṛg eva hi ca viṣṇutayā vibhāti govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi The Lord expands Himself as the flames of a fire expand one after another. Although the original flame, or Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is accepted as Govinda, the Supreme Person, all other expansions, such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha and Varāha, are as potent as the original Lord. All such expanded forms are transcendental. In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is made clear that the Supreme Truth is eternally uncontaminated by material touch. There is no jugglery of words and activities in the transcendental kingdom of the Lord. All the Lord’s forms are transcendental, and such manifestations are ever identical. The particular form of the Lord exhibited to a devotee is not mundane, even though the devotee may retain material desire, nor is it manifest under the influence of material energy, as is foolishly considered by the impersonalists. Impersonalists who consider the transcendental forms of the Lord to be products of the material world are surely destined for hell. |
TEXT 9 YaavTPa*Qa¤-iMadMaaTMaNa wiNd]YaaQaR‚ MaaYaabl&/ >aGavTaae JaNa wRXa PaXYaeTa( ) Taavà Sa&Sa*iTarSaaE Pa[iTaSax(k]-MaeTa VYaQaaRiPa du"%iNavh& vhTaq i§-YaaQaaR )) 9 )) yāvat pṛthaktvam idam ātmana indriyārtha- māyā-balaṁ bhagavato jana īśa paśyet tāvan na saṁsṛtir asau pratisaṅkrameta vyarthāpi duḥkha-nivahaṁ vahatī kriyārthā SYNONYMS yāvat—as long as; pṛthaktvam—separatism; idam—this; ātmanaḥ—of the body; indriya-artha—for sense gratification; māyā-balam—influence of external energy; bhagavataḥ—of the Personality of Godhead; janaḥ—a person; īśa—O my Lord; paśyet—sees; tāvat—so long; na—not; saṁsṛtiḥ—the influence of material existence; asau—that man; pratisaṅkrameta—can overcome; vyarthā api—although without meaning; duḥkha-nivaham—multiple miseries; vahatī—bringing; kriyā-arthā—for fruitive activities. TRANSLATION O my Lord, the material miseries are without factual existence for the soul. Yet as long as the conditioned soul sees the body as meant for sense enjoyment, he cannot get out of the entanglement of material miseries, being influenced by Your external energy. PURPORT The whole trouble of the living entity in material existence is that he has an independent conception of life. He is always dependent on the rules of the Supreme Lord, in both the conditioned and liberated states, but by the influence of the external energy the conditioned soul thinks himself independent of the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. His constitutional position is to dovetail himself with the desire of the supreme will, but as long as he does not do so, he is sure to drag on in the shackles of material bondage. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.55), prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān: he has to give up all sorts of plans manufactured by mental concoction. The living entity has to dovetail himself with the supreme will. That will help him to get out of the entanglement of material existence. |
TEXT 10 AöyaPa*TaaTaRk-r<aa iNaiXa iNa"XaYaaNaa NaaNaaMaNaaerQaiDaYaa +a<a>aGaniNad]a" ) dEvahTaaQaRrcNaa ‰zYaae_iPa dev YauZMaTPa[Sa(r)ivMau%a wh Sa&SariNTa )) 10 )) ahny āpṛtārta-karaṇā niśi niḥśayānā nānā-manoratha-dhiyā kṣaṇa-bhagna-nidrāḥ daivāhatārtha-racanā ṛṣayo ’pi deva yuṣmat-prasaṅga-vimukhā iha saṁsaranti SYNONYMS ahni—during the daytime; āpṛta—engaged; ārta—distressing engagement; karaṇāḥ—senses; niśi—at night; niḥśayānāḥ—insomnia; nānā—various; manoratha—mental speculations; dhiyā—by intelligence; kṣaṇa—constantly; bhagna—broken; nidrāḥ—sleep; daiva—superhuman; āhata-artha—frustrated; racanāḥ—plans; ṛṣayaḥ—great sages; api—also; deva—O my Lord; yuṣmat—Your Lordship’s; prasaṅga—topic; vimukhāḥ—turned against; iha—in this (material world); saṁsaranti—do rotate. TRANSLATION Such nondevotees engage their senses in very troublesome and extensive work, and they suffer insomnia at night because their intelligence constantly breaks their sleep with various mental speculations. They are frustrated in all their various plans by supernatural power. Even great sages, if they are against Your transcendental topics, must rotate in this material world. PURPORT As described in the previous verse, people who have no taste for the devotional service of the Lord are occupied in material engagements. Most of them engage during the daytime in hard physical labor; their senses are engaged very extensively in troublesome duties in the gigantic plants of heavy industrial enterprise. The owners of such factories are engaged in finding a market for their industrial products, and the laborers are engaged in extensive production involving huge mechanical arrangements. “Factory” is another name for hell. At night, hellishly engaged persons take advantage of wine and women to satisfy their tired senses, but they are not even able to have sound sleep because their various mental speculative plans constantly interrupt their sleep. Because they suffer from insomnia sometimes they feel sleepy in the morning for lack of sufficient rest. By the arrangement of supernatural power, even the great scientists and thinkers of the world suffer frustration of their various plans and thus rot in the material world birth after birth. A great scientist may make discoveries in atomic energy for the quick destruction of the world and may be awarded the best prize in recognition of his service (or disservice), but he also has to undergo the reactions of his work by rotating in the cycle of repeated births and deaths under the superhuman law of material nature. All these people who are against the principle of devotional service are destined to rotate in this material world without fail. This verse particularly mentions that even sages who are averse to the principles of devotional service to the Lord are also condemned to undergo the terms of material existence. Not only in this age, but formerly also, there were many sages who tried to invent their own systems of religion without reference to devotional service to the Supreme Lord, but there cannot be any religious principle without devotional service to the Lord. The Supreme Lord is the leader of the entire range of living entities, and no one can be equal to or greater than Him. Even the Lord’s impersonal feature and all-pervading localized feature cannot be on an equal level with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, there cannot be any religion or system of genuine philosophy for the advancement of the living entities without the principle of devotional service. The impersonalists, who take much trouble in penance and austerity for self-liberation, may approach the impersonal brahmajyoti, but ultimately, because of not being situated in devotional service, they glide down again to the material world to undergo another term of material existence. This is confirmed as follows: ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ “Persons who are falsely under the impression of being liberated, without devotional service to the Lord, may reach the goal of the brahmajyoti, but because of their impure consciousness and for want of shelter in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, such so-called liberated persons again fall down into material existence.” (Bhāg. 10.2.32) Therefore, no one can manufacture any system of religion without the principle of devotional service to the Lord. As we find in the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the initiator of religious principles is the Lord Himself. In Bhagavad-gītā also we find that the Lord condemns all forms of religion other than that which entails the process of surrendering unto the Supreme. Any system which leads one to the devotional service of the Lord, and nothing else, is actually religion or philosophy. In the Sixth Canto we find the following statements of Yamarāja, the controller of all unfaithful living entities: dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ na vai vidur ṛṣayo nāpi devāḥ na siddha-mukhyā asurā manuṣyāḥ kuto nu vidyādhara-cāraṇādayaḥ [SB 6.3.19] svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ prahlādo janako bhīṣmo balir vaiyāsakir vayam dvādaśaite vijānīmo dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvāmṛtam aśnute “The principles of religion are initiated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one else, including the sages and demigods, can manufacture any such principles. Since even great sages and demigods are unauthorized to inaugurate such principles of religion, what to speak of others—the so-called mystics, demons, human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṇas living in the lower planets? Twelve personalities—Brahmā, Nārada, Lord Śiva, Kumāra, Kapila, Manu, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka Mahārāja, Bhīṣma, Bali, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Yamarāja—are agents of the Lord authorized to speak and propagate the principles of religion.” (Bhāg. 6.3.19–21) The principles of religion are not open to any ordinary living entity. They are just to bring the human being onto the platform of morality. Nonviolence, etc., are necessary for misguided persons because unless one is moral and nonviolent one cannot understand the principles of religion. To understand what is actually religion is very difficult even if one is situated in the principles of morality and nonviolence. It is very confidential because as soon as one is conversant with the real principles of religion, he is at once liberated to the eternal life of bliss and knowledge. Therefore, one who is not situated in the principles of devotional service to the Lord should not pose himself as a religious leader of the innocent public. The Īśopaniṣad emphatically forbids this nonsense in the following mantra: andhaṁ tamaḥ praviśanti ye ’sambhūtim upāsate tato bhūya iva te tamo ya u sambhūtyāṁ ratāḥ (Īśopaniṣad 12) A person in ignorance of the principles of religion who therefore does nothing in the matter of religion is far better than a person who misguides others in the name of religion without reference to the factual religious principles of devotional service. Such so-called leaders of religion are sure to be condemned by Brahmā and other great authorities. |
Tv& >ai¢-YaaeGaPair>aaivTaôTSaraeJa AaSSae é[uTaei+aTaPaQaae NaNau NaaQa Pau&SaaMa( ) YaÛiÖYaa Ta oåGaaYa iv>aavYaiNTa TataÜPau" Pa[<aYaSae SadNauGa]haYa )) 11 )) tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita-hṛt-saroja āsse śrutekṣita-patho nanu nātha puṁsām yad-yad-dhiyā ta urugāya vibhāvayanti tat-tad-vapuḥ praṇayase sad-anugrahāya SYNONYMS tvam—unto You; bhakti-yoga—in devotional service; paribhāvita—being one hundred percent engaged; hṛt—of the heart; saroje—on the lotus; āsse—You reside; śruta-īkṣita—seen through the ear; pathaḥ—the path; nanu—now; nātha—O my Lord; puṁsām—of the devotees; yat-yat—whichever; dhiyā—by meditating; te—Your; urugāya—O multiglorious; vibhāvayanti—they specifically think of; tat-tat—the very same; vapuḥ—transcendental form; praṇayase—do You manifest; sat-anugrahāya—to show Your causeless mercy. TRANSLATION O my Lord, Your devotees can see You through the ears by the process of bona fide hearing, and thus their hearts become cleansed, and You take Your seat there. You are so merciful to Your devotees that You manifest Yourself in the particular eternal form of transcendence in which they always think of You. PURPORT The statement here that the Lord manifests Himself before the devotee in the form in which the devotee likes to worship Him indicates that the Lord becomes subordinate to the desire of the devotee—so much so that He manifests His particular form as the devotee demands. This demand of the devotee is satisfied by the Lord because He is pliable in terms of the transcendental loving service of the devotee. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.11): ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham. We should note, however, that the Lord is never the order supplier of the devotee. Here in this verse it is particularly mentioned: tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita. This indicates the efficiency achieved through execution of matured devotional service, or premā, love of Godhead. This state of premā is achieved by the gradual process of development from faith to love. On faith one associates with bona fide devotees, and by such association one can become engaged in bona fide devotional service, which includes proper initiation and the execution of the primary devotional duties prescribed in the revealed scriptures. This is clearly indicated herein by the word śrutekṣita. The śrutekṣita path is to hear from bona fide devotees who are conversant with Vedic wisdom, free from mundane sentiment. By this bona fide hearing process, the neophyte devotee becomes cleansed of all material rubbish, and thus he becomes attached to one of the many transcendental forms of the Lord, as described in the Vedas. This attachment of the devotee to a particular form of the Lord is due to natural inclination. Each and every living entity is originally attached to a particular type of transcendental service because he is eternally the servitor of the Lord. Lord Caitanya says that the living entity is eternally a servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, every living entity has a particular type of service relationship with the Lord, eternally. This particular attachment is invoked by practice of regulative devotional service to the Lord, and thus the devotee becomes attached to the eternal form of the Lord, exactly like one who is already eternally attached. This attachment for a particular form of the Lord is called svarūpa-siddhi. The Lord sits on the lotus heart of the devotee in the eternal form the pure devotee desires, and thus the Lord does not part from the devotee, as confirmed in the previous verse. The Lord, however, does not disclose Himself to a casual or unauthentic worshiper to be exploited. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.25): nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. Rather, by yoga-māyā, the Lord remains concealed to the nondevotees or casual devotees who are serving their sense gratification. The Lord is never visible to the pseudodevotees who worship the demigods in charge of universal affairs. The conclusion is that the Lord cannot become the order supplier of a pseudodevotee, but He is always prepared to respond to the desires of a pure, unconditional devotee, who is free from all tinges of material infection. |
TEXT 12 NaaiTaPa[SaqdiTa TaQaaePaicTaaePacarE‚ raraiDaTa" SaurGa<aEôRidbÖk-aMaE" ) YaTSavR>aUTadYaYaaSadl/>YaYaEk-ae NaaNaaJaNaeZvvihTa" SauôdNTaraTMaa )) 12 )) nātiprasīdati tathopacitopacārair ārādhitaḥ sura-gaṇair hṛdi baddha-kāmaiḥ yat sarva-bhūta-dayayāsad-alabhyayaiko nānā-janeṣv avahitaḥ suhṛd antar-ātmā SYNONYMS na—never; ati—very much; prasīdati—become satisfied; tathā—as much as; upacita—by pompous arrangement; upacāraiḥ—with much worshipable paraphernalia; ārādhitaḥ—being worshiped; sura-gaṇaiḥ—by the celestial demigods; hṛdi baddha-kāmaiḥ—with hearts full of all sorts of material desires; yat—that which; sarva—all; bhūta—living entities; dayayā—to show them causeless mercy; asat—nondevotee; alabhyayā—not being achieved; ekaḥ—one without a second; nānā—various; janeṣu—in living entities; avahitaḥ—perceived; suhṛt—well-wishing friend; antaḥ—within; ātmā—Supersoul. TRANSLATION My Lord, You are not very much satisfied by the worship of the demigods, who arrange for Your worship very pompously, with various paraphernalia, but who are full of material hankerings. You are situated in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul just to show Your causeless mercy, and You are the eternal well-wisher, but You are unavailable for the nondevotee. PURPORT The demigods in the celestial heavenly planets, who are appointed administrators of the material affairs, are also devotees of the Lord. But, at the same time, they have desires for material opulence and sense gratification. The Lord is so kind that He awards them all sorts of material happiness, more than they can desire, but He is not satisfied with them because they are not pure devotees. The Lord does not want any one of His innumerable sons (the living entities) to remain in the material world of threefold miseries to perpetually suffer the material pangs of birth, death, old age and disease. The demigods in the heavenly planets, and many devotees on this planet also, want to remain in the material world as devotees of the Lord and take advantage of material happiness. They do so at a risk of falling down to the lower status of existence, and this makes the Lord dissatisfied with them. Pure devotees are not desirous of any material enjoyment, nor are they averse to it. They completely dovetail their desires with the desires of the Lord and perform nothing on their personal account. Arjuna is a good example. On his own sentiment, due to family affection, Arjuna did not want to fight, but finally, after hearing Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, he agreed to fight in the interests of the Lord. Therefore, the Lord is very much satisfied with pure devotees because they do not act for sense gratification but only in terms of the Lord’s desire. As Paramātmā, or Supersoul, He is situated in everyone’s heart, always giving everyone the chance of good counsel. Thus everyone should take the opportunity and render transcendental loving service to Him wholly and solely. The nondevotees, however, are neither like the demigods nor like the pure devotees, but are averse to the transcendental relationship with the Lord. They have revolted against the Lord and must perpetually undergo the reactions of their own activities. Bhagavad-gītā (4.11) states: ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham. “Although the Lord is equally kind to every living being, the living beings, for their own part, are able to please the Lord to either a greater or lesser extent.” The demigods are called sakāma devotees, or devotees with material desires in mind, while the pure devotees are called niṣkāma devotees because they have no desires for their personal interests. The sakāma devotees are self-interested because they do not think of others, and therefore they are not able to satisfy the Lord perfectly, whereas the pure devotees take the missionary responsibility of turning nondevotees into devotees, and they are therefore able to satisfy the Lord more than the demigods. The Lord is unmindful of the nondevotees, although He is sitting within everyone’s heart as well-wisher and Supersoul. However, He also gives them the chance to receive His mercy through His pure devotees who are engaged in missionary activities. Sometimes the Lord Himself descends for missionary activities, as He did in the form of Lord Caitanya, but mostly He sends His bona fide representatives, and thus He shows His causeless mercy towards the nondevotees. The Lord is so satisfied with His pure devotees that He wants to give them the credit for missionary success, although He could do the work personally. This is the sign of His satisfaction with His pure, niṣkāma devotees, compared to the sakāma devotees. By such transcendental activities the Lord simultaneously becomes free from the charge of partiality and exhibits His pleasure with the devotees. Now a question arises: If the Lord is sitting in the hearts of nondevotees, why are they not moved to become devotees? It may be answered that the stubborn nondevotees are like the barren land or alkaline field, where no agricultural activities can be successful. As part and parcel of the Lord, every individual living entity has a minute quantity of independence, and by misuse of this minute independence, the nondevotees commit offense after offense, to both the Lord and His pure devotees engaged in missionary work. As a result of such acts, they become as barren as an alkaline field, where there is no strength to produce. |
Pau&SaaMaTaae ivivDak-MaRi>arßraÛE‚ daRNaeNa caeGa]TaPaSaa PaircYaRYaa c ) AaraDaNa& >aGavTaSTav SaiT§-YaaQaaeR DaMaaeR_iPaRTa" k-ihRicd(iMa]YaTae Na Ya}a )) 13 )) puṁsām ato vividha-karmabhir adhvarādyair dānena cogra-tapasā paricaryayā ca ārādhanaṁ bhagavatas tava sat-kriyārtho dharmo ’rpitaḥ karhicid mriyate na yatra SYNONYMS puṁsām—of the people; ataḥ—therefore; vividha-karmabhiḥ—by various fruitive activities; adhvara-ādyaiḥ—by performance of Vedic rituals; dānena—by charities; ca—and; ugra—very hard; tapasā—austerity; paricaryayā—by transcendental service; ca—also; ārādhanam—worship; bhagavataḥ—of the Personality of Godhead; tava—Your; sat-kriyā-arthaḥ—simply for pleasing Your Lordship; dharmaḥ—religion; arpitaḥ—so offered; karhicit—at any time; mriyate—vanquishes; na—never; yatra—there. TRANSLATION But the pious activities of the people, such as performance of Vedic rituals, charity, austere penances, and transcendental service, performed with a view to worship You and satisfy You by offering You the fruitive results, are also beneficial. Such acts of religion never go in vain. PURPORT Absolute devotional service, conducted in nine different spiritual activities—hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, praying, etc.—does not always appeal to people with a pompous nature; they are more attracted by the Vedic superficial rituals and other costly performances of social religious shows. But the process according to the Vedic injunctions is that the fruits of all pious activities should be offered to the Supreme Lord. In Bhagavad-gītā (9.27), the Lord demands that whatever one may do in one’s daily activities, such as worship, sacrifice, and offering charity, all the results should be offered to Him only. This offering of the results of pious acts unto the Supreme Lord is a sign of devotional service to the Lord and is of permanent value, whereas enjoying the same results for oneself is only temporary. Anything done on account of the Lord is a permanent asset and accumulates in the form of unseen piety for gradual promotion to the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord. These undetected pious activities will one day result in full-fledged devotional service by the grace of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, any pious act done on account of the Supreme Lord is also recommended here for those who are not pure devotees. |
TEXT 15 YaSYaavTaarGau<ak-MaRiv@MbNaaiNa NaaMaaiNa Yae_SauivGaMae ivvXaa Ga*<aiNTa ) Tae_NaEk-JaNMaXaMal&/ SahSaEv ihTva Sa&YaaNTYaPaav*TaaMa*Ta& TaMaJa& Pa[PaÛe )) 15 )) yasyāvatāra-guṇa-karma-viḍambanāni nāmāni ye ’su-vigame vivaśā gṛṇanti te ’naika-janma-śamalaṁ sahasaiva hitvā saṁyānty apāvṛtāmṛtaṁ tam ajaṁ prapadye SYNONYMS yasya—whose; avatāra—incarnations; guṇa—transcendental qualities; karma—activities; viḍambanāni—all mysterious; nāmāni—transcendental names; ye—those; asu-vigame—while quitting this life; vivaśāḥ—automatically; gṛṇanti—invoke; te—they; anaika—many; janma—births; śamalam—accumulated sins; sahasā—immediately; eva—certainly; hitvā—giving up; saṁyānti—obtain; apāvṛta—open; amṛtam—immortality; tam—Him; ajam—the unborn; prapadye—I take shelter. TRANSLATION Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Him whose incarnations, qualities and activities are mysterious imitations of worldly affairs. One who invokes His transcendental names, even unconsciously, at the time he quits this life, is certainly washed immediately of the sins of many, many births and attains Him without fail. PURPORT The activities of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are a kind of imitation of the activities going on in the material world. He is just like an actor on a stage. An actor imitates the activities of a king on stage, although actually he is not the king. Similarly, when the Lord incarnates, He imitates parts with which He has nothing to do. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.14), it is said that the Lord has nothing to do with the activities in which He is supposedly engaged: na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā. The Lord is omnipotent; simply by His will He can perform anything and everything. When the Lord appeared as Lord Kṛṣṇa, He played the part of the son of Yaśodā and Nanda, and He lifted the Govardhana Hill, although lifting a hill is not His concern. He can lift millions of Govardhana Hills by His simple desire; He does not need to lift it with His hand. But He imitates the ordinary living entity by this lifting, and at the same time He exhibits His supernatural power. Thus His name is chanted as the lifter of Govardhana Hill, or Śrī Govardhana-dhārī. Therefore, His acts in His incarnations and His partiality to the devotees are all imitations only, just like the stage makeup of an expert dramatical player. His acts in that capacity, however, are all omnipotent, and the remembrance of such activities of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Ajāmila remembered the holy name of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa, by merely calling the name of his son Nārāyaṇa, and that gave him a complete opportunity to achieve the highest perfection of life. |
Yaae va Ah& c iGairXaê iv>au" SvYa& c iSQaTYauÙvPa[l/YaheTav AaTMaMaUl/Ma( ) i>atva i}aPaaÜv*Da Wk- oåPa[raeh‚ STaSMaE NaMaae >aGavTae >auvNad]uMaaYa )) 16 )) yo vā ahaṁ ca giriśaś ca vibhuḥ svayaṁ ca sthity-udbhava-pralaya-hetava ātma-mūlam bhittvā tri-pād vavṛdha eka uru-prarohas tasmai namo bhagavate bhuvana-drumāya SYNONYMS yaḥ—one who; vai—certainly; aham ca—also I; giriśaḥ ca—also Śiva; vibhuḥ—the Almighty; svayam—personality (as Viṣṇu); ca—and; sthiti—maintenance; udbhava—creation; pralaya—dissolution; hetavaḥ—the causes; ātma-mūlam—self-rooted; bhittvā—having penetrated; tri-pāt—three trunks; vavṛdhe—grew; ekaḥ—one without a second; uru—many; prarohaḥ—branches; tasmai—unto Him; namaḥ—obeisances; bhagavate—unto the Personality of Godhead; bhuvana-drumāya—unto the tree of the planetary system. TRANSLATION Your Lordship is the prime root of the tree of the planetary systems. This tree has grown by first penetrating the material nature in three trunks—as me, Śiva and You, the Almighty—for creation, maintenance and dissolution, and we three have grown with many branches. Therefore I offer my obeisances unto You, the tree of the cosmic manifestation. PURPORT The cosmic manifestation is grossly divided into three worlds, the upper, lower and middle planetary systems, and then it broadens into the cosmos of fourteen planetary systems, with the manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the supreme root. Material nature, which appears to be the cause of the cosmic manifestation, is only the agency or energy of the Lord. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10): mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. “Only under the superintendence of the Supreme Lord does material nature appear to be the cause of all creation, maintenance and dissolution.” The Lord expands Himself into three—Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Śiva—for maintenance, creation and destruction respectively. Of the three principal agents controlling the three modes of material nature, Viṣṇu is the Almighty; even though He is within material nature for the purpose of maintenance, He is not controlled by the laws of material nature. The other two, Brahmā and Śiva, although almost as greatly powerful as Viṣṇu, are within the control of the material energy of the Supreme Lord. The conception of many gods controlling the many departments of material nature is ill conceived of by the foolish pantheist. God is one without a second, and He is the primal cause of all causes. As there are many departmental heads of governmental affairs, so there are many heads of management of the universal affairs. Due to a poor fund of knowledge, the impersonalist does not believe in the personal management of things as they are. But in this verse it is clearly explained that everything is personal and nothing is impersonal. We have already discussed this point in the Introduction, and it is confirmed here in this verse. The tree of the material manifestation is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā as an aśvattha tree whose root is upward. We have actual experience of such a tree when we see the shadow of a tree on the bank of a reservoir of water. The reflection of the tree on the water appears to hang down from its upward roots. The tree of creation described here is only a shadow of the reality which is Parabrahman, Viṣṇu. In the internal potential manifestation of the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, the actual tree exists, and the tree reflected in the material nature is only the shadow of this actual tree. The impersonalists, theory that Brahman is void of all variegatedness is false because the shadow-tree described in Bhagavad-gītā cannot exist without being the reflection of a real tree. The real tree is situated in the eternal existence of spiritual nature, full of transcendental varieties, and Lord Viṣṇu is the root of that tree also. The root is the same—the Lord—both for the real tree and the false, but the false tree is only the perverted reflection of the real tree. The Lord, being the real tree, is here offered obeisances by Brahmā on his own behalf and also on behalf of Lord Śiva. |
TEXT 17 l/aek-ae ivk-MaRiNarTa" ku-Xale/ Pa[Mata" k-MaR<YaYa& TvduidTae >avdcRNae Sve ) YaSTaavdSYa bl/vaiNah JaqivTaaXaa& SaÛiX^NatYaiNaiMazaYa NaMaae_STau TaSMaE )) 17 )) loko vikarma-nirataḥ kuśale pramattaḥ karmaṇy ayaṁ tvad-udite bhavad-arcane sve yas tāvad asya balavān iha jīvitāśāṁ sadyaś chinatty animiṣāya namo ’stu tasmai SYNONYMS lokaḥ—people in general; vikarma—work without sense; nirataḥ—engaged in; kuśale—in beneficial activity; pramattaḥ—negligent; karmaṇi—in activity; ayam—this; tvat—by You; udite—enunciated; bhavat—of You; arcane—in worship; sve—their own; yaḥ—who; tāvat—as long as; asya—of the people in general; balavān—very strong; iha—this; jīvita-āśām—struggle for existence; sadyaḥ—directly; chinatti—is cut to pieces; animiṣāya—by the eternal time; namaḥ—my obeisances; astu—let there be; tasmai—unto Him. TRANSLATION People in general all engage in foolish acts, not in the really beneficial activities enunciated directly by You for their guidance. As long as their tendency for foolish work remains powerful, all their plans in the struggle for existence will be cut to pieces. I therefore offer my obeisances unto Him who acts as eternal time. PURPORT People in general are all engaged in senseless work. They are systematically unmindful of the real beneficial work, which is the devotional service of the Lord, technically called the arcanā regulations. The arcanā regulations are directly instructed by the Lord in the Nārada-pañcarātra and are strictly followed by the intelligent men, who know well that the highest perfectional goal of life is to reach Lord Viṣṇu, who is the root of the tree called the cosmic manifestation. Also, in the Bhāgavatam and in Bhagavad-gītā such regulative activities are clearly mentioned. Foolish people do not know that their self-interest is in realization of Viṣṇu. The Bhāgavatam (7.5.30–32) says: matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho ’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te ’pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat “Persons who are determined to totally rot in false, material happiness cannot become Kṛṣṇa-minded either by instructions from teachers, by self-realization or by parliamentary discussions. They are dragged by the unbridled senses into the darkest region of ignorance, and thus they madly engage in what is called ‘chewing the chewed.’ “Because of their foolish activities, they are unaware that the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve Viṣṇu, the Lord of the cosmic manifestation, and so their struggle for existence is in the wrong direction of material civilization, which is under the external energy. They are led by similar foolish persons, just as one blind man is led by another blind man and both fall in the ditch. “Such foolish men cannot be attracted towards the activities of the Supreme Powerful, who is actually the neutralizing measure for their foolish activities, unless and until they have the good sense to be guided by the great souls who are completely freed from material attachment.” In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord asks everyone to give up all other occupational duties and absolutely engage in arcanā activities, or in pleasing the Lord. But almost no one is attracted to such arcanā activity. Everyone is more or less attracted by activities which are conditions of rebellion against the Supreme Lord. The systems of jñāna and yoga are also indirectly rebellious acts against the Lord. There is no auspicious activity except arcanā of the Lord. Jñāna and yoga are sometimes accepted within the purview of arcanā when the ultimate aim is Viṣṇu, and not otherwise. The conclusion is that only the devotees of the Lord are bona fide human beings eligible for salvation. Others are vainly struggling for existence without any actual benefit. |
TEXT 19 iTaYaRx(MaNauZYaivbuDaaidzu JaqvYaaeiNa‚ ZvaTMaeC^YaaTMak*-TaSaeTauParqPSaYaa Ya" ) reMae iNarSTaivzYaae_PYavåÖdeh‚ STaSMaE NaMaae >aGavTae PauåzaetaMaaYa )) 19 )) tiryaṅ-manuṣya-vibudhādiṣu jīva-yoniṣv ātmecchayātma-kṛta-setu-parīpsayā yaḥ reme nirasta-viṣayo ’py avaruddha-dehas tasmai namo bhagavate puruṣottamāya SYNONYMS tiryak—animals lower than human beings; manuṣya—human beings, etc.; vibudha-ādiṣu—amongst the demigods; jīva-yoniṣu—in different species of life; ātma—self; icchayā—by the will; ātma-kṛta—self-created; setu—obligations; parīpsayā—desiring to preserve; yaḥ—who; reme—performing transcendental pastimes; nirasta—not being affected; viṣayaḥ—material contamination; api—certainly; avaruddha—manifested; dehaḥ—transcendental body; tasmai—unto Him; namaḥ—my obeisances; bhagavate—unto the Personality of Godhead; puruṣottamāya—the primeval Lord. TRANSLATION O my Lord, by Your own will You appear in the various species of living entities, among animals lower than human beings as well as among the demigods, to perform Your transcendental pastimes. You are not affected by material contamination. You come just to fulfill the obligations of Your own principles of religion, and therefore, O Supreme Personality, I offer my obeisances unto You for manifesting such different forms. PURPORT The Lord’s incarnations in different species of life are all transcendental. He appears as a human being in His incarnations of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, etc., but He is not a human being. Anyone who mistakes Him for an ordinary human being is certainly not very intelligent, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.11): avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam. The same principle is applicable when He appears as the hog or fish incarnations. They are transcendental forms of the Lord and are manifested under certain necessities of His own pleasure and pastimes. Such manifestations of the transcendental forms of the Lord are accepted by Him mostly to enliven His devotees. All His incarnations are manifested whenever there is a need to deliver His devotees and maintain His own principles. |
>aUYaSTv& TaPa AaiTaï ivÛa& cEv Madaé[YaaMa( ) Taa>YaaMaNTaôRid b]øNa( l/aek-aNd]+YaSYaPaav*TaaNa( )) 30 )) bhūyas tvaṁ tapa ātiṣṭha vidyāṁ caiva mad-āśrayām tābhyām antar-hṛdi brahman lokān drakṣyasy apāvṛtān SYNONYMS bhūyaḥ—again; tvam—yourself; tapaḥ—penance; ātiṣṭha—be situated; vidyām—in the knowledge; ca—also; eva—certainly; mat—My; āśrayām—under the protection; tābhyām—by those qualifications; antaḥ—within; hṛdi—in the heart; brahman—O brāhmaṇa; lokān—all the worlds; drakṣyasi—you will see; apāvṛtān—all disclosed. TRANSLATION O Brahmā, situate yourself in penance and meditation and follow the principles of knowledge to receive My favor. By these actions you will be able to understand everything from within your heart. PURPORT The mercy the Lord bestows upon a particular person engaged in executing the responsible work entrusted unto him is beyond imagination. But His mercy is received due to our penance and perseverance in executing devotional service. Brahmā was entrusted with the work of creating the planetary systems. The Lord instructed him that when he meditated he would very easily know where and how the planetary systems must be arranged. The directions were to come from within, and there was no necessity for anxiety in that task. Such instructions of buddhi-yoga are directly imparted by the Lord from within, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10). |
AhMaaTMaaTMaNaa& DaaTa" Pa[eï" SaNa( Pa[eYaSaaMaiPa ) ATaae MaiYa riTa& ku-YaaRÕehaidYaRTk*-Tae iPa[Ya" )) 42 )) aham ātmātmanāṁ dhātaḥ preṣṭhaḥ san preyasām api ato mayi ratiṁ kuryād dehādir yat-kṛte priyaḥ SYNONYMS aham—I am; ātmā—the Supersoul; ātmanām—of all other souls; dhātaḥ—director; preṣṭhaḥ—the dearest; san—being; preyasām—of all dear things; api—certainly; ataḥ—therefore; mayi—unto Me; ratim—attachment; kuryāt—one should do; deha-ādiḥ—the body and mind; yat-kṛte—on whose account; priyaḥ—very dear. TRANSLATION I am the Supersoul of every individual. I am the supreme director and the dearest. People are wrongly attached to the gross and subtle bodies, but they should be attached to Me only. PURPORT The Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, is the dearest in both the conditioned and liberated states. When a person does not know that the Lord is the only dearmost object, then he is in the conditioned state of life, and when one knows perfectly well that the Lord is the only dearmost object, he is considered to be liberated. There are degrees of knowing one’s relationship with the Lord, depending on the degree of realization as to why the Supreme Lord is the dearmost object of every living being. The real reason is clearly stated in Bhagavad-gītā (15.7). Mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ: the living entities are eternally parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. The living entity is called the ātmā, and the Lord is called the Paramātmā. The living entity is called Brahman, and the Lord is called the Parabrahman, or the Parameśvara. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. The conditioned souls, who do not have self-realization, accept the material body as the dearmost. The idea of the dearmost is then spread all over the body, both concentrated and extended. The attachment for one’s own body and its extensions like children and relatives is actually developed on the basis of the real living entity. As soon as the real living entity is out of the body, even the body of the most dear son is no longer attractive. Therefore the living spark, or eternal part of the Supreme, is the real basis of affection, and not the body. Because the living entities are also parts of the whole living entity, that supreme living entity is the factual basis of affection for all. One who has forgotten the basic principle of his love for everything has only flickering love because he is in māyā. The more one is affected by the principle of māyā, the more he is detached from the basic principle of love. One cannot factually love anything unless he is fully developed in the loving service of the Lord. In the present verse, stress is given to focusing love upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word kuryāt is significant here. This means “one must have it.” It is just to stress that we must have more and more attachment to the principle of love. The influence of māyā is experienced by the part and parcel spiritual entity, but it cannot influence the Supersoul, the Paramātmā. The Māyāvādī philosophers, accepting the influence of māyā on the living entity, want to become one with the Paramātmā. But because they have no actual love for Paramātmā, they remain ever entrapped by the influence of māyā and are unable to approach the vicinity of Paramātmā. This inability is due to their lack of affection for the Paramātmā. A rich miser does not know how to utilize his wealth, and therefore, in spite of his being very rich, his miserly behavior keeps him everlastingly a poor man. On the other hand, a person who knows how to utilize wealth can quickly become a rich man, even with a small credit balance. The eyes and the sun are very intimately related because without sunlight the eyes are unable to see. But the other parts of the body, being attached to the sun as a source of warmth, take more advantage of the sun than do the eyes. Without possessing affection for the sun, the eyes cannot bear the rays of the sun; or, in other words, such eyes have no capacity to understand the utility of the sun’s rays. Similarly, the empiric philosophers, despite their theoretical knowledge of Brahman, cannot utilize the mercy of the Supreme Brahman because they lack affection. So many impersonal philosophers remain everlastingly under the influence of māyā Because, although they indulge in theoretical knowledge of Brahman, they do not develop affection for Brahman nor do they have any scope for development of affection because of their defective method. A devotee of the sun-god, even though devoid of eyesight, can see the sun-god as he is even from this planet, whereas one who is not a devotee of the sun cannot even bear the glaring sunlight. Similarly, by devotional service, even though one is not on the level of a jñānī, one can see the Personality of Godhead within himself due to his development of pure love. In all circumstances one should try to develop love of Godhead, and that will solve all contending problems. |
MaE}aeYa ovac Gau<aVYaiTak-rak-arae iNaivRXaezae_Pa[iTaiïTa" ) PauåzSTaduPaadaNaMaaTMaaNa& l/Il/YaaSa*JaTa( )) 11 )) maitreya uvāca guṇa-vyatikarākāro nirviśeṣo ’pratiṣṭhitaḥ puruṣas tad-upādānam ātmānaṁ līlayāsṛjat SYNONYMS maitreyaḥ uvāca—Maitreya said; guṇa-vyatikara—of the interactions of the modes of material nature; ākāraḥ—source; nirviśeṣaḥ—without diversity; apratiṣṭhitaḥ—unlimited; puruṣaḥ—of the Supreme Person; tat—that; upādānam—instrument; ātmānam—the material creation; līlayā—by pastimes; asṛjat—created. TRANSLATION Maitreya said: Eternal time is the primeval source of the interactions of the three modes of material nature. It is unchangeable and limitless, and it works as the instrument of the Supreme Personality of Godhead for His pastimes in the material creation. PURPORT The impersonal time factor is the background of the material manifestation as the instrument of the Supreme Lord. It is the ingredient of assistance offered to material nature. No one knows where time began and where it ends, and it is time only which can keep a record of the creation, maintenance and destruction of the material manifestation. This time factor is the material cause of creation and is therefore a self expansion of the Personality of Godhead. Time is considered the impersonal feature of the Lord. The time factor is also explained by modern men in various ways. Some accept it almost as it is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. For example, in Hebrew literature time is accepted, in the same spirit, as a representation of God. It is stated therein: “God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets....” Metaphysically, time is distinguished as absolute and real. Absolute time is continuous and is unaffected by the speed or slowness of material things. Time is astronomically and mathematically calculated in relation to the speed, change and life of a particular object. Factually, however, time has nothing to do with the relativities of things; rather, everything is shaped and calculated in terms of the facility offered by time. Time is the basic measurement of the activity of our senses, by which we calculate past, present and future; but in factual calculation, time has no beginning and no end. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that even a slight fraction of time cannot be purchased with millions of dollars, and therefore even a moment of time lost without profit must be calculated as the greatest loss in life. Time is not subject to any form of psychology, nor are the moments objective realities in themselves, but they are dependent on particular experiences. Therefore, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī concludes that the time factor is intermixed with the activities—actions and reactions—of the external energy of the Lord. The external energy, or material nature, works under the superintendence of the time factor as the Lord Himself, and that is why material nature appears to have produced so many wonderful things in the cosmic manifestation. Bhagavad-gītā (9.10) confirms this conclusion as follows: mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram hetunānena kaunteya jagad viparivartate |
TEXT 12 ivì& vE b]øTaNMaa}a& Sa&iSQaTa& ivZ<auMaaYaYaa ) wRìre<a PairiC^à& k-ale/NaaVYa¢-MaUiTaRNaa )) 12 )) viśvaṁ vai brahma-tan-mātraṁ saṁsthitaṁ viṣṇu-māyayā īśvareṇa paricchinnaṁ kālenāvyakta-mūrtinā SYNONYMS viśvam—the material phenomenon; vai—certainly; brahma—the Supreme; tat-mātram—the same as; saṁsthitam—situated; viṣṇu-māyayā—by the energy of Viṣṇu; īśvareṇa—by the Personality of Godhead; paricchinnam—separated; kālena—by the eternal time; avyakta—unmanifested; mūrtinā—by such a feature. TRANSLATION This cosmic manifestation is separated from the Supreme Lord as material energy by means of kāla, which is the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Lord. It is situated as the objective manifestation of the Lord under the influence of the same material energy of Viṣṇu. PURPORT As stated previously by Nārada before Vyāsadeva (Bhāg. 1.5.20), idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ: this unmanifested world is the self-same Personality of Godhead, but it appears to be something else beyond or besides the Lord. It appears so because of its being separated from the Lord by means of kāla. It is something like the tape-recorded voice of a person who is now separated from the voice. As the tape recording is situated on the tape, so the whole cosmic manifestation is situated on the material energy and appears separate by means of kāla. The material manifestation is therefore the objective manifestation of the Supreme Lord and exhibits His impersonal feature so much adored by impersonalist philosophers. |
TEXT 13 YaQaedaNaq& TaQaaGa]e c PaêadPYaeTadqd*XaMa( )) 13 )) yathedānīṁ tathāgre ca paścād apy etad īdṛśam SYNONYMS yathā—as it is; idānīm—at present; tathā—so it was; agre—in the beginning; ca—and; paścāt—at the end; api—also; etat īdṛśam—it continues to be the same. TRANSLATION This cosmic manifestation is as it is now, it was the same in the past, and it will continue in the same way in the future. PURPORT There is a systematic schedule for the perpetual manifestation, maintenance and annihilation of the material world, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.8): bhūta-grāmam imaṁ kṛtsnam avaśaṁ prakṛter vaśāt. As it is created now and as it will be destroyed later on, so also it existed in the past and again will be created, maintained and destroyed in due course of time. Therefore, the systematic activities of the time factor are perpetual and eternal and cannot be stated to be false. The manifestation is temporary and occasional, but it is not false as claimed by the Māyāvādī philosophers. |
TEXT 30 ATa" Par& Pa[v+YaaiMa v&XaaNMaNvNTarai<a c ) Wv& rJa"Plu/Ta" óía k-LPaaidZvaTMa>aUhRir" ) Sa*JaTYaMaaegaSaªLPa AaTMaEvaTMaaNaMaaTMaNaa )) 30 )) ataḥ paraṁ pravakṣyāmi vaṁśān manvantarāṇi ca evaṁ rajaḥ-plutaḥ sraṣṭā kalpādiṣv ātmabhūr hariḥ sṛjaty amogha-saṅkalpa ātmaivātmānam ātmanā SYNONYMS ataḥ—here; param—after; pravakṣyāmi—I shall explain; vaṁśān—descendants; manvantarāṇi—different advents of Manus; ca—and; evam—thus; rajaḥ-plutaḥ—infused with the mode of passion; sraṣṭā—the creator; kalpa-ādiṣu—in different millenniums; ātma-bhūḥ—self-advent; hariḥ—the Personality of Godhead; sṛjati—creates; amogha—unfailing; saṅkalpaḥ—determination; ātmā eva—He Himself; ātmānam—Himself; ātmanā—by His own energy. TRANSLATION Now I shall describe the descendants of the Manus. The creator, Brahmā, as the incarnation of the passion mode of the Personality of Godhead, creates the universal affairs with unfailing desires in every millennium by the force of the Lord’s energy. PURPORT The cosmic manifestation is an expansion of one of the many energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; the creator and the created are both emanations of the same Supreme Truth, as stated in the beginning of the Bhāgavatam: janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Tenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Divisions of the Creation.” |
TEXT 34 YadDaRMaaYauzSTaSYa ParaDaRMai>aDaqYaTae ) PaUvR" ParaDaaeR_Pa§-aNTaae ùParae_Û Pa[vTaRTae )) 34 )) yad ardham āyuṣas tasya parārdham abhidhīyate pūrvaḥ parārdho ’pakrānto hy aparo ’dya pravartate SYNONYMS yat—that which; ardham—half; āyuṣaḥ—of the duration of life; tasya—his; parārdham—a parārdha; abhidhīyate—is called; pūrvaḥ—the former; para-ardhaḥ—half of the duration of life; apakrāntaḥ—having passed; hi—certainly; aparaḥ—the latter; adya—in this millennium; pravartate—shall begin. TRANSLATION The one hundred years of Brahmā’s life are divided into two parts, the first half and the second half. The first half of the duration of Brahmā’s life is already over, and the second half is now current. PURPORT The duration of one hundred years in the life of Brahmā has already been discussed in many places in this work, and it is described in Bhagavad-gītā (8.17) also. Fifty years of the life of Brahmā are already over, and fifty years are yet to be completed; then, for Brahmā also, death is inevitable. |
TEXT 3 d*îa PaaPaqYaSaq& Sa*ií& NaaTMaaNa& bûMaNYaTa ) >aGavÖyaNaPaUTaeNa MaNaSaaNYaa& TaTaae_Sa*JaTa( )) 3 )) dṛṣṭvā pāpīyasīṁ sṛṣṭiṁ nātmānaṁ bahv amanyata bhagavad-dhyāna-pūtena manasānyāṁ tato ’sṛjat SYNONYMS dṛṣṭvā—by seeing; pāpīyasīm—sinful; sṛṣṭim—creation; na—did not; ātmānam—unto Himself; bahu—much pleasure; amanyata—felt; bhagavat—on the Personality of Godhead; dhyāna—meditation; pūtena—purified by that; manasā—by such a mentality; anyām—another; tataḥ—thereafter; asṛjat—created. TRANSLATION Seeing such a misleading creation as a sinful task, Brahmā did not feel much pleasure in his activity, and therefore he purified himself by meditation on the Personality of Godhead. Then he began another term of creation. PURPORT Although he created the different influences of nescience, Lord Brahmā was not satisfied in performing such a thankless task, but he had to do it because most of the conditioned souls wanted it to be so. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) that He is present in everyone’s heart and is helping everyone to either remember of forget. The question may be raised why the Lord, who is all-merciful, helps one to remember and another to forget. Actually, His mercy is not exhibited in partiality towards one and enmity towards another. The living entity, as part and parcel of the Lord, is partially independent because he partially possesses all the qualities of the Lord. Anyone who has some independence may sometimes misuse it due to ignorance. When the living entity prefers to misuse his independence and glide down towards nescience, the all-merciful Lord first of all tries to protect him from the trap, but when the living entity persists in gliding down to hell, the Lord helps him to forget his real position. The Lord helps the falling living entity glide down to the lowest point, just to give him the chance to see if he is happy by misusing his independence. Almost all the conditioned souls who are rotting in the material world are misusing their independence, and therefore five kinds of nescience are imposed upon them. As an obedient servitor of the Lord, Brahmā creates all these as a matter of necessity, but he is not happy in doing so because a devotee of the Lord naturally does not like to see anyone falling down from his real position. Persons who do not care for the path of realization get full facilities from the Lord for executing their proclivities to the fullest extent, and Brahmā helps in that procedure without fail. |
TEXT 11 ôidiNd]Yaa<YaSauVYaaeRMa vaYauriGanJaRl&/ Mahq ) SaUYaRêNd]STaPaêEv SQaaNaaNYaGa]e k*-TaaiNa Tae )) 11 )) hṛd indriyāṇy asur vyoma vāyur agnir jalaṁ mahī sūryaś candras tapaś caiva sthānāny agre kṛtāni te SYNONYMS hṛt—the heart; indriyāṇi—the senses; asuḥ—life air; vyoma—the sky; vāyuḥ—the air; agniḥ—fire; jalam—water; mahī—the earth; sūryaḥ—the sun; candraḥ—the moon; tapaḥ—austerity; ca—as well as; eva—certainly; sthānāni—all these places; agre—hereinbefore; kṛtāni—already made; te—for you. TRANSLATION My dear boy, I have already selected the following places for your residence: the heart, the senses, the air of life, the sky, the air, the fire, the water, the earth, the sun, the moon and austerity. PURPORT The creation of Rudra from between the eyebrows of Brahmā as the result of his anger, generated from the mode of passion partly touched by ignorance, is very significant. In Bhagavad-gītā (3.37) the principle of Rudra is described. Krodha (anger) is the product of kāma (lust), which is the result of the mode of passion. When lust and hankering are unsatisfied, the element of krodha appears, which is the formidable enemy of the conditioned soul. This most sinful and inimical passion is represented as ahaṅkāra, or the false egocentric attitude of thinking oneself to be all in all. Such an egocentric attitude on the part of the conditioned soul, who is completely under the control of material nature, is described in Bhagavad-gītā as foolish. The egocentric attitude is a manifestation of the Rudra principle in the heart, wherein krodha (anger) is generated. This anger develops in the heart and is further manifested through various senses, like the eyes, hands and legs. When a man is angry he expresses such anger with red-hot eyes and sometimes makes a display of clenching his fists or kicking his legs. This exhibition of the Rudra principle is the proof of Rudra’s presence in such places. When a man is angry he breathes very rapidly, and thus Rudra is represented in the air of life, or in the activities of breathing. When the sky is overcast with dense clouds and roars in anger, and when the wind blows very fiercely, the Rudra principle is manifested, and so also when the sea water is infuriated by the wind it appears in a gloomy feature of Rudra, which is very fearful to the common man. When fire is ablaze we can also experience the presence of Rudra, and when there is an inundation over the earth we can understand that this is also the representation of Rudra. There are many earthly creatures who constantly represent the Rudra element. The snake, tiger and lion are always representations of Rudra. Sometimes, because of the extreme heat of the sun, there are cases of heatstroke, and due to the extreme coldness created by the moon there are cases of collapse. There are many sages empowered with the influence of austerity and many yogīs, philosophers and renouncers who sometimes exhibit their acquired power under the influence of the Rudra principle of anger and passion. The great yogī Durvāsā, under the influence of this Rudra principle, picked a quarrel with Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, and a brāhmaṇa boy exhibited the Rudra principle by cursing the great King Parīkṣit. When the Rudra principle is exhibited by persons who are not engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the angry person falls down from the peak of his improved position. This is confirmed as follows: ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (Bhāg. 10.2.32) The most lamentable falldown of the impersonalist is due to his false and unreasonable claim of being one with the Supreme. |
vac& duihTar& TaNvq& SvYaM>aUhRrTaq& MaNa" ) Ak-aMaa& ck-Mae +ata" Sak-aMa wiTa Na" é[uTaMa( )) 28 )) vācaṁ duhitaraṁ tanvīṁ svayambhūr haratīṁ manaḥ akāmāṁ cakame kṣattaḥ sa-kāma iti naḥ śrutam SYNONYMS vācam—Vāk; duhitaram—unto the daughter; tanvīm—born of his body; svayambhūḥ—Brahmā; haratīm—attracting; manaḥ—his mind; akāmām—without being sexually inclined; cakame—desired; kṣattaḥ—O Vidura; sa-kāmaḥ—being sexually inclined; iti—thus; naḥ—we; śrutam—have heard. TRANSLATION O Vidura, we have heard that Brahmā had a daughter named Vāk who was born from his body and who attracted his mind toward sex, although she was not sexually inclined towards him. PURPORT Balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati (Bhāg. 9.19.17). It is said that the senses are so mad and strong that they can bewilder even the most sensible and learned man. Therefore it is advised that one should not indulge in living alone even with one’s mother, sister or daughter. Vidvāṁsam api karṣati means that even the most learned also become victims of the sensuous urge. Maitreya hesitated to state this anomaly on the part of Brahmā, who was sexually inclined to his own daughter, but still he mentioned it because sometimes it so happens, and the living example is Brahmā himself, although he is the primeval living being and the most learned within the whole universe. If Brahmā could be a victim of the sexual urge, then what of others, who are prone to so many mundane frailties? This extraordinary immortality on the part of Brahmā was heard to have occurred in some particular kalpa, but it could not have happened in the kalpa in which Brahmā heard directly from the Lord the four essential verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam because the Lord blessed Brahmā, after giving him lessons on the Bhāgavatam, that he would never be bewildered in any kalpa whatsoever. This indicates that before the hearing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam he might have fallen a victim to such sensuality, but after hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam directly from the Lord, there was no possibility of such failures. One should, however, take serious note of this incident. The human being is a social animal, and his unrestricted mixing with the fair sex leads to downfall. Such social freedom of man and woman, especially among the younger section, is certainly a great stumbling block on the path of spiritual progress. Material bondage is due only to sexual bondage, and therefore unrestricted association of man and woman is surely a great impediment. Maitreya cited this example on the part of Brahmā just to bring to our notice this great danger. |
vE%aNaSaa val/i%LYaaEduMbra" fe-NaPaa vNae ) NYaaSae ku-$=qck-" PaUv| bûaedae h&SaiNaiZ§-YaaE )) 43 )) vaikhānasā vālakhilyau- dumbarāḥ phenapā vane nyāse kuṭīcakaḥ pūrvaṁ bahvodo haṁsa-niṣkriyau SYNONYMS vaikhānasāḥ—the section of men who retire from active life and live on half-boiled meals; vālakhilya—one who quits his former stock of grains on receipt of more; audumbarāḥ—one who lives on what he gets from the direction towards which he starts after rising from bed; phenapāḥ—one who lives on the fruits which automatically fall from the tree; vane—in the forest; nyāse—in the order of renunciation; kuṭīcakaḥ—life in the family without attachment; pūrvam—in the beginning; bahvodaḥ—giving up all material activities and engaging fully in transcendental service; haṁsa—fully engaged in transcendental knowledge; niṣkriyau—stopping all kinds of activities. TRANSLATION The four divisions of retired life are the vaikhānasas, vālakhilyas, audumbaras and phenapas. The four divisions of the renounced order of life are the kuṭīcakas, bahvodas, haṁsas and niṣkriyas. All these were manifested from Brahmā. PURPORT The varṇāśrama-dharma, or the institution of the four divisions and orders of social and spiritual life, is not a new invention of the modern age, as proposed by the less intelligent. It is an institution established by Brahmā from the beginning of the creation. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.13): cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam. |
TEXT 57 AakU-iTa& åcYae Pa[adaTk-dRMaaYa Tau MaDYaMaaMa( ) d+aaYaadaTPa[SaUiTa& c YaTa AaPaUirTa& JaGaTa( )) 57 )) ākūtiṁ rucaye prādāt kardamāya tu madhyamām dakṣāyādāt prasūtiṁ ca yata āpūritaṁ jagat SYNONYMS ākūtim—the daughter named Ākūti; rucaye—unto the sage Ruci; prādāt—handed over; kardamāya—unto the sage Kardama; tu—but; madhyamām—the middle one (Devahūti); dakṣāya—unto Dakṣa; adāt—handed over; prasūtim—the youngest daughter; ca—also; yataḥ—wherefrom; āpūritam—is fulfilled; jagat—the whole world. TRANSLATION The father, Manu, handed over his first daughter, Ākūti, to the sage Ruci, the middle daughter, Devahūti, to the sage Kardama, and the youngest, Prasūti, to Dakṣa. From them, all the world filled with population. PURPORT The history of the creation of the population of the universe is given herewith. Brahmā is the original living creature in the universe, from whom were generated the Manu Svāyambhuva and his wife Śatarūpā. From Manu, two sons and three daughters were born, and from them all the population in different planets has sprung up until now. Therefore, Brahmā is known as the grandfather of everyone, and the Personality of Godhead, being the father of Brahmā, is known as the great-grandfather of all living beings. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (11.39) as follows: vāyur yamo ’gnir varuṇaḥ śaśāṅkaḥ prajāpatis tvaṁ prapitāmahaś ca namo namas te ’stu sahasra-kṛtvaḥ punaś ca bhūyo ’pi namo namas te “You are the Lord of air, the supreme justice Yama, the fire, and the Lord of rains. You are the moon, and You are the great-grandfather. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You again and again.” Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Twelfth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Creation of the Kumāras and Others.” |
TEXT 35 æPa& TavETaàNau duZk*-TaaTMaNaa& dudRXaRNa& dev YadßraTMak-Ma( ) ^Nda&iSa YaSYa Tvic bihRraeMa‚ SvaJYa& d*iXa Tvx(iga]zu caTauhaeR}aMa( )) 35 )) rūpaṁ tavaitan nanu duṣkṛtātmanāṁ durdarśanaṁ deva yad adhvarātmakam chandāṁsi yasya tvaci barhi-romasv ājyaṁ dṛśi tv aṅghriṣu cātur-hotram SYNONYMS rūpam—form; tava—Your; etat—this; nanu—but; duṣkṛta-ātmanām—of souls who are simply miscreants; durdarśanam—very difficult to see; deva—O Lord; yat—that; adhvara-ātmakam—worshipable by performances of sacrifice; chandāṁsi—the Gāyatrī mantra and others; yasya—whose; tvaci—touch of the skin; barhiḥ—sacred grass called kuśa; romasu—hairs on the body; ājyam—clarified butter; dṛśi—in the eyes; tu—also; aṅghriṣu—on the four legs; cātuḥ-hotram—four kinds of fruitive activities. TRANSLATION O Lord, Your form is worshipable by performances of sacrifice, but souls who are simply miscreants are unable to see it. All the Vedic hymns, Gāyatrī and others, are in the touch of Your skin. In Your bodily hairs is the kuśa grass, in Your eyes is the clarified butter, and in Your four legs are the four kinds of fruitive activities. PURPORT There is a class of miscreants who are known in the words of Bhagavad-gītā as veda-vādī, or so-called strict followers of the Vedas. They do not believe in the incarnation of the Lord, what to speak of the Lord’s incarnation as the worshipable hog. They describe worship of the different forms or incarnations of the Lord as anthropomorphism. In the estimation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam these men are miscreants, and in Bhagavad-gītā (7.15) they are called not only miscreants but also fools and the lowest of mankind, and it is said that their knowledge has been plundered by illusion due to their atheistic temperament. For such condemned persons, the Lord’s incarnation as the gigantic hog is invisible. These strict followers of the Vedas who despise the eternal forms of the Lord may know from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that such incarnations are personified forms of the Vedas. Lord Boar’s skin, His eyes and His bodily hair holes are all described here as different parts of the Vedas. He is therefore the personified form of the Vedic hymns, and specifically the Gāyatrī mantra. |
TEXT 39 NaMaae NaMaSTae_i%l/MaN}adevTaa‚ d]VYaaYa SavR§-Tave i§-YaaTMaNae ) vEraGYa>a¢-yaTMaJaYaaNau>aaivTa‚ jaNaaYa ivÛaGaurve NaMaae NaMa" )) 39 )) namo namas te ’khila-mantra-devatā- dravyāya sarva-kratave kriyātmane vairāgya-bhaktyātmajayānubhāvita- jñānāya vidyā-gurave namo namaḥ SYNONYMS namaḥ namaḥ—obeisances unto You; te—unto You, who are worshipable; akhila—all-inclusive; mantra—hymns; devatā—the Supreme Lord; dravyāya—unto all ingredients for performing sacrifices; sarva-kratave—unto all kinds of sacrifices; kriyā-ātmane—unto You, the supreme form of all sacrifices; vairāgya—renunciation; bhaktyā—by devotional service; ātma-jaya-anubhāvita—perceivable by conquering the mind; jñānāya—such knowledge; vidyā-gurave—the supreme spiritual master of all knowledge; namaḥ namaḥ—again I offer my respectful obeisances. TRANSLATION O Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead and are worshipable by universal prayers, Vedic hymns and sacrificial ingredients. We offer our obeisances unto You. You can be realized by the pure mind freed from all visible and invisible material contamination. We offer our respectful obeisances to You as the supreme spiritual master of knowledge in devotional service. PURPORT The qualification of bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord, is that the devotee should be free from all material contaminations and desires. This freedom is called vairāgya, or renouncement of material desires. One who engages in devotional service to the Lord according to regulative principles is automatically freed from material desires, and in that pure state of mind one can realize the Personality of Godhead. The Personality of Godhead, being situated in everyone’s heart, instructs the devotee regarding pure devotional service so that he may ultimately achieve the association of the Lord. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10) as follows: teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te “To one who constantly engages in the devotional service of the Lord with faith and love, the Lord certainly gives the intelligence to achieve Him at the ultimate end.” One has to conquer the mind, and one may do it by following the Vedic rituals and by performing different types of sacrifice. The ultimate end of all those performances is to attain bhakti, or the devotional service of the Lord. Without bhakti one cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The original Personality of Godhead or His innumerable expansions of Viṣṇu are the only objects of worship by all the Vedic rituals and sacrificial performances. |
Sa&SQaaPaYaENaa& JaGaTaa& SaTaSQauza& l/aek-aYa PaÒqMaiSa MaaTar& iPaTaa ) ivDaeMa caSYaE NaMaSaa Sah TvYaa YaSYaa& SvTaeJaae_iGaniMavar<aavDaa" )) 42 )) saṁsthāpayaināṁ jagatāṁ sa-tasthuṣāṁ lokāya patnīm asi mātaraṁ pitā vidhema cāsyai namasā saha tvayā yasyāṁ sva-tejo ’gnim ivāraṇāv adhāḥ SYNONYMS saṁsthāpaya enām—raise this earth; jagatām—both the moving and; sa-tasthuṣām—nonmoving; lokāya—for their residence; patnīm—wife; asi—You are; mātaram—the mother; pitā—the father; vidhema—do we offer; ca—also; asyai—unto the mother; namasā—with all obeisances; saha—along with; tvayā—with You; yasyām—in whom; sva-tejaḥ—by Your own potency; agnim—fire; iva—likened; araṇau—in the araṇi wood; adhāḥ—invested. TRANSLATION O Lord, for the residential purposes of all inhabitants, both moving and nonmoving, this earth is Your wife, and You are the supreme father. We offer our respectful obeisances unto You, along with mother earth, in whom You have invested Your own potency, just as an expert sacrificer puts fire in the araṇi wood. PURPORT The so-called law of gravitation which sustains the planets is described herein as the potency of the Lord. This potency is invested by the Lord in the way that an expert sacrificial brāhmaṇa puts fire in the araṇi wood by the potency of Vedic mantras. By this arrangement the world becomes habitable for both the moving and nonmoving creatures. The conditioned souls, who are residents of the material world, are put in the womb of mother earth in the same way the seed of a child is put by the father in the womb of the mother. This conception of the Lord and the earth as father and mother is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (14.4). Conditioned souls are devoted to the motherland in which they take their birth, but they do not know their father. The mother is not independent in producing children. Similarly, material nature cannot produce living creatures unless in contact with the supreme father, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam teaches us to offer obeisances unto the mother along with the Father, the Supreme Lord, because it is the Father only who impregnates the mother with all energies for the sustenance and maintenance of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving. |
TEXT 43 k-" é[ÕDaqTaaNYaTaMaSTav Pa[>aae rSaa& GaTaaYaa >auv oiÜbhR<aMa( ) Na ivSMaYaae_SaaE TviYa ivìivSMaYae Yaae MaaYaYaed& SaSa*Jae_iTaivSMaYaMa( )) 43 )) kaḥ śraddadhītānyatamas tava prabho rasāṁ gatāyā bhuva udvibarhaṇam na vismayo ’sau tvayi viśva-vismaye yo māyayedaṁ sasṛje ’tivismayam SYNONYMS kaḥ—who else; śraddadhīta—can endeavor; anyatamaḥ—anyone besides Yourself; tava—Your; prabho—O Lord; rasām—in the water; gatāyāḥ—while lying in; bhuvaḥ—of the earth; udvibarhaṇam—deliverance; na—never; vismayaḥ—wonderful; asau—such an act; tvayi—unto You; viśva—universal; vismaye—full of wonders; yaḥ—one who; māyayā—by potencies; idam—this; sasṛje—created; ativismayam—surpassing all wonders. TRANSLATION Who else but You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, could deliver the earth from within the water? It is not very wonderful for You, however, because You acted most wonderfully in the creation of the universe. By Your energy You have created this wonderful cosmic manifestation. PURPORT When a scientist discovers something impressive to the ignorant mass of people, the common man, without inquiry, accepts such a discovery as wonderful. But the intelligent man is not struck with wonder by such discoveries. He gives all credit to the person who created the wonderful brain of the scientist. A common man is also struck with wonder by the wonderful action of material nature, and he gives all credit to the cosmic manifestation. The learned Kṛṣṇa conscious person, however, knows well that behind the cosmic manifestation is the brain of Kṛṣṇa, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10): mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. Since Kṛṣṇa can direct the wonderful cosmic manifestation, it is not at all wonderful for Him to assume the gigantic form of a boar and thus deliver the earth from the mire of the water. A devotee is therefore not astonished to see the wonderful boar because he knows that the Lord is able to act far more wonderfully by His potencies, which are inconceivable to the brain of even the most erudite scientist. |
TEXT 49 TaiSMaNa( Pa[Saàe Sak-l/aiXaza& Pa[>aaE ik&- dulR/>a& Taai>arl&/ l/vaTMai>a" ) ANaNYad*íya >aJaTaa& GauhaXaYa" SvYa& ivDatae SvGaiTa& Par" ParaMa( )) 49 )) tasmin prasanne sakalāśiṣāṁ prabhau kiṁ durlabhaṁ tābhir alaṁ lavātmabhiḥ ananya-dṛṣṭyā bhajatāṁ guhāśayaḥ svayaṁ vidhatte sva-gatiṁ paraḥ parām SYNONYMS tasmin—unto Him; prasanne—being pleased; sakala-āśiṣām—of all benediction; prabhau—unto the Lord; kim—what is that; durlabham—very difficult to obtain; tābhiḥ—with them; alam—away; lava-ātmabhiḥ—with insignificant gains; ananya-dṛṣṭyā—by nothing but devotional service; bhajatām—of those who are engaged in devotional service; guhā-āśayaḥ—residing within the heart; svayam—personally; vidhatte—executes; sva-gatim—in His own abode; paraḥ—the supreme; parām—transcendental. TRANSLATION Nothing remains unachieved when the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased with someone. By transcendental achievement one understands everything else to be insignificant. One who engages in transcendental loving service is elevated to the highest perfectional stage by the Lord Himself, who is seated in everyone’s heart. PURPORT As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (10.10), the Lord gives intelligence to the pure devotees so that they may be elevated to the highest perfectional stage. It is confirmed herein that a pure devotee, who constantly engages in the loving service of the Lord, is awarded all knowledge necessary to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. For such a devotee there is nothing valuable to be achieved but the Lord’s service. If one serves faithfully, there is no possibility of frustration because the Lord Himself takes charge of the devotee’s advancement. The Lord is seated in everyone’s heart, and He knows the devotee’s motive and arranges everything achievable. In other words, the pseudo devotee, who is anxious to achieve material gains, cannot attain the highest perfectional stage because the Lord is in knowledge of his motive. One merely has to become sincere in his purpose, and then the Lord is there to help in every way. |
TEXT 38 k-XYaPa ovac APa[aYaTYaadaTMaNaSTae daezaNMaaEhUiTaRk-aduTa ) MaiàdeXaaiTacare<a devaNaa& caiTahel/NaaTa( )) 38 )) kaśyapa uvāca aprāyatyād ātmanas te doṣān mauhūrtikād uta man-nideśāticāreṇa devānāṁ cātihelanāt SYNONYMS kaśyapaḥ uvāca—the learned brāhmaṇa Kaśyapa said; aprāyatyāt—because of the pollution; ātmanaḥ—of the mind; te—your; doṣāt—because of defilement; mauhūrtikāt—in terms of the moment; uta—also; mat—my; nideśa—direction; aticāreṇa—being too neglectful; devānām—of the demigods; ca—also; atihelanāt—being too apathetic. TRANSLATION The learned Kaśyapa said: Because of your mind’s being polluted, because of defilement of the particular time, because of your negligence of my directions, and because of your being apathetic to the demigods, everything was inauspicious. PURPORT The conditions for having good progeny in society are that the husband should be disciplined in religious and regulative principles and the wife should be faithful to the husband. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.11) it is said that sexual intercourse according to religious principles is a representation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Before engaging in sexual intercourse, both the husband and the wife must consider their mental condition, the particular time, the husband’s direction, and obedience to the demigods. According to Vedic society, there is a suitable auspicious time for sex life, which is called the time for garbhādhāna. Diti neglected all the principles of scriptural injunction, and therefore, although she was very anxious for auspicious children, she was informed that her children would not be worthy to be the sons of a brāhmaṇa. There is a clear indication herein that a brāhmaṇa’s son is not always a brāhmaṇa. Personalities like Rāvaṇa and Hiraṇyakaśipu were actually born of brāhmaṇas, but they were not accepted as brāhmaṇas because their fathers did not follow the regulative principles for their birth. Such children are called demons, or Rākṣasas. There were only one or two Rākṣasas in the previous ages due to negligence of the disciplinary methods, but during the age of Kali there is no discipline in sex life. How, then, can one expect good children? Certainly unwanted children cannot be a source of happiness in society, but through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement they can be raised to the human standard by chanting the holy name of God. That is the unique contribution of Lord Caitanya to human society. |
>aivZYaTaSTava>ad]av>ad]e Jaa#=raDaMaaE ) l/aek-aNa( SaPaal/a&ñq&êi<@ Mauhura§-NdiYaZYaTa" )) 39 )) bhaviṣyatas tavābhadrāv abhadre jāṭharādhamau lokān sa-pālāṁs trīṁś caṇḍi muhur ākrandayiṣyataḥ SYNONYMS bhaviṣyataḥ—will take birth; tava—your; abhadrau—two contemptuous sons; abhadre—O unlucky one; jāṭhara-adhamau—born of a condemned womb; lokān—all planets; sa-pālān—with their rulers; trīn—three; caṇḍi—haughty one; muhuḥ—constantly; ākran-dayiṣyataḥ—will cause lamentation. TRANSLATION O haughty one, you will have two contemptuous sons born of your condemned womb. Unlucky woman, they will cause constant lamentation to all the three worlds! PURPORT Contemptuous sons are born of the condemned womb of their mother. In Bhagavad-gītā (1.40) it is said, “When there is deliberate negligence of the regulative principles of religious life, the women as a class become polluted, and as a result there are unwanted children.” This is especially true for boys; if the mother is not good, there cannot be good sons. The learned Kaśyapa could foresee the character of the sons who would be born of the condemned womb of Diti. The womb was condemned because of the mother’s being too sexually inclined and thus transgressing all the laws and injunctions of the scriptures. In a society where such women are predominant, one should not expect good children. |
TEXT 41 Tada ivìeìr" §u-Öae >aGavaçaek->aavNa" ) hiNaZYaTYavTaqYaaRSaaE YaQaad]qNa( XaTaPavRDa*k(- )) 41 )) tadā viśveśvaraḥ kruddho bhagavāl loka-bhāvanaḥ haniṣyaty avatīryāsau yathādrīn śataparva-dhṛk SYNONYMS tadā—at that time; viśva-īśvaraḥ—the Lord of the universe; kruddhaḥ—in great anger; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; loka-bhāvanaḥ—desiring the welfare of the people in general; haniṣyati—will kill; avatīrya—descending Himself; asau—He; yathā—as if; adrīn—the mountains; śata-parva-dhṛk—the controller of the thunderbolt (Indra). TRANSLATION At that time the Lord of the universe, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the well-wisher of all living entities, will descend and kill them, just as Indra smashes the mountains with his thunderbolts. PURPORT As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8), the Lord descends as an incarnation to deliver the devotees and kill the miscreants. The Lord of the universe and of everything would appear to kill the sons of Diti because of their offending the devotees of the Lord. There are many agents of the Lord, such as Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, goddess Durgā, and Kālī, who can chastise any formidable miscreants in the world. The example of mountains being smashed by a thunderbolt is very appropriate. The mountain is considered the most strongly built body within the universe, yet it can be easily smashed by the arrangement of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Personality of Godhead does not need to descend in order to kill any strongly built body; He comes down just for the sake of His devotees. Everyone is subject to the miseries offered by material nature, but because the activities of miscreants, such as killing innocent people and animals or torturing women, are harmful to everyone and are therefore a source of pain for the devotees, the Lord comes down. He descends only to give relief to His ardent devotees. The killing of the miscreant by the Lord is also the mercy of the Lord towards the miscreant, although apparently the Lord takes the side of the devotee. Since the Lord is absolute, there is no difference between His activities of killing the miscreants and favoring the devotees. |
TEXT 7 Taeza& SauPaKvYaaeGaaNaa& iJaTaìaSaeiNd]YaaTMaNaaMa( ) l/BDaYauZMaTPa[SaadaNaa& Na ku-TaiêTPara>av" )) 7 )) teṣāṁ supakva-yogānāṁ jita-śvāsendriyātmanām labdha-yuṣmat-prasādānāṁ na kutaścit parābhavaḥ SYNONYMS teṣām—of them; su-pakva-yogānām—who are mature mystics; jita—controlled; śvāsa—breath; indriya—the senses; ātmanām—the mind; labdha—attained; yuṣmat—your; prasādānām—mercy; na—not; kutaścit—anywhere; parābhavaḥ—defeat. TRANSLATION There is no defeat in this material world for persons who control the mind and senses by controlling the breathing process and who are therefore experienced, mature mystics. This is because by such perfection in yoga they have attained your mercy. PURPORT The purpose of yogic performances is explained here. It is said that an experienced mystic attains full control of the senses and the mind by controlling the breathing process. Therefore, controlling the breathing process is not the ultimate aim of yoga. The real purpose of yogic performances is to control the mind and the senses. Anyone who has such control is to be understood to be an experienced, mature mystic yogī. It is indicated herein that a yogī who has control over the mind and senses has the actual benediction of the Lord, and he has no fear. In other words, one cannot attain the mercy and benediction of the Supreme Lord until one is able to control the mind and the senses. This is actually possible when one fully engages in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A person whose senses and mind are always engaged in the transcendental service of the Lord has no possibility of engaging in material activities. The devotees of the Lord are not defeated anywhere in the universe. It is stated, nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve: one who is nārāyaṇa-para, or a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is not afraid anywhere, whether he is sent to hell or promoted to heaven (Bhāg. 6.17.28). |
TEXT 45 Pau&Saa& GaiTa& Ma*GaYaTaaiMah YaaeGaMaaGaOE‚ DYaaRNaaSPad& bhu MaTa& NaYaNaai>araMaMa( PaaE„&ò& vPaudRXaRYaaNaMaNaNYaiSaÖE‚ raETPaitakE-" SaMaGa*<aNa( YauTaMaí>aaeGaE" )) 45 )) puṁsāṁ gatiṁ mṛgayatām iha yoga-mārgair dhyānāspadaṁ bahu-mataṁ nayanābhirāmam pauṁsnaṁ vapur darśayānam ananya-siddhair autpattikaiḥ samagṛṇan yutam aṣṭa-bhogaiḥ SYNONYMS puṁsām—of those persons; gatim—liberation; mṛgayatām—who are searching; iha—here in this world; yoga-mārgaiḥ—by the process of aṣṭāṅga-yoga; dhyāna-āspadam—object of meditation; bahu—by the great yogis; matam—approved; nayana—eyes; abhirāmam—pleasing; pauṁsnam—human; vapuḥ—form; darśayānam—displaying; ananya—not by others; siddhaiḥ—perfected; autpattikaiḥ—eternally present; samagṛṇan—praised; yutam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is endowed; aṣṭa-bhogaiḥ—with eight kinds of achievement. TRANSLATION This is the form of the Lord which is meditated upon by the followers of the yoga process, and it is pleasing to the yogīs in meditation. It is not imaginary but factual, as proved by great yogīs. The Lord is full in eight kinds of achievement, but for others these achievements are not possible in full perfection. PURPORT The success of the yoga process is very nicely described here. It is specifically mentioned that the form of the Lord as four-handed Nārāyaṇa is the object of meditation for the followers of yoga-mārga. In the modern age there are so many so-called yogīs who do not target their meditation on the four-handed Nārāyaṇa form. Some of them try to meditate on something impersonal or void, but that is not approved by the great yogīs who follow the standard method. The real yoga-mārga process is to control the senses, sit in a solitary and sanctified place and meditate on the four-handed form of Nārāyaṇa, decorated as described in this chapter as He appeared before the four sages. This Nārāyaṇa form is Kṛṣṇa’s expansion; therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement which is now spreading is the real, topmost process of yoga practice. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest yoga performance by trained devotional yogīs. Despite all the allurement of yoga practice, the eight kinds of yogic perfections are hardly achievable by the common man. But here it is described that the Lord, who appeared before the four sages, is Himself full of all eight of those perfections. The highest yoga-mārga process is to concentrate the mind twenty-four hours a day on Kṛṣṇa. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The yoga system, as described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā or as recommended in the Patañjali yoga process, is different from the nowadays-practiced haṭha-yoga as it is generally understood in the Western countries. Real yoga practice is to control the senses and, after such control is established, to concentrate the mind on the Nārāyaṇa form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead, and all the other Viṣṇu forms—with four hands decorated with conch, lotus, club and wheel—are plenary expansions of Kṛṣṇa. In Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended that one meditate upon the form of the Lord. To practice concentration of the mind, one has to sit with the head and the back in a straight line, and one must practice in a secluded place, sanctified by a sacred atmosphere. The yogī should observe the rules and regulations of brahmacarya—to strictly live a life of self-restraint and celibacy. One cannot practice yoga in a congested city, living a life of extravagancy, including unrestricted sex indulgence and adultery of the tongue. Yoga practice necessitates controlling the senses, and the beginning of sense control is to control the tongue. One who can control the tongue can also have control over the other senses. One cannot allow the tongue to take all kinds of forbidden food and drink and at the same time advance in the practice of yoga. It is a very regrettable fact that many unauthorized so-called yogīs come to the Western countries and exploit people’s inclination towards yoga practice. Such unauthorized yogīs even dare to say publicly that one can indulge in the habit of drinking and at the same time practice meditation. Five thousand years ago Lord Kṛṣṇa recommended yoga practice to Arjuna, but Arjuna frankly expressed his inability to follow the stringent rules and regulations of the yoga system. One should be very practical in every field of activities and should not waste his valuable time in practicing useless gymnastic feats in the name of yoga. Real yoga is to search out the four-handed Supersoul within one’s heart and see Him perpetually in meditation. Such continued meditation is called samādhi, and the object of this meditation is the four-handed Nārāyaṇa, with bodily decorations as described in this chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. If, however, one wants to meditate upon something void or impersonal, it will take a very long time before he achieves success in yoga practice. We cannot concentrate our mind on something void or impersonal. Real yoga is to fix the mind on the form of the Lord, the four-handed Nārāyaṇa who is sitting in everyone’s heart. By meditation one can understand that God is seated within one’s heart. Even if one does not know it, God is seated within the heart of everyone. Not only is He seated in the heart of the human being, but He is also within the hearts of cats and dogs. Bhagavad-gītā certifies this fact by the declaration of the Lord, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe [Bg. 18.61]. The īśvara, the supreme controller of the world, is seated in the heart of everyone. Not only is He in everyone’s heart, but He is also present within the atom. No place is vacant or devoid of the presence of the Lord. That is the statement of Īśopaniṣad. God is present everywhere, and His right of proprietorship applies to everything. The feature of the Lord by which He is present everywhere is called Paramātmā. Ātmā means the individual soul, and Paramātmā means the individual Supersoul; both ātmā and Paramātmā are individual persons. The difference between ātmā and Paramātmā is that the ātmā, or the soul, is present only in a particular body, whereas the Paramātmā is present everywhere. In this connection, the example of the sun is very nice. An individual person may be situated in one place, but the sun, even though a similar individual entity, is present on the head of every individual person. In Bhagavad-gītā this is explained. Therefore even though the qualities of all entities, including the Lord, are equal, the Supersoul is different from the individual soul by quantitative power of expansion. The Lord, or the Supersoul, can expand Himself into millions of different forms, whereas the individual soul cannot do so. The Supersoul, being seated in everyone’s heart, can witness everyone’s activities—past, present and future. In the Upaniṣads the Supersoul is described as being seated with the individual soul as friend and witness. As a friend, the Lord is always anxious to get back His friend, the individual soul, and bring him back home, back to Godhead. As a witness He is the bestower of all benedictions, and He endows each individual with the result of his actions. The Supersoul gives the individual soul all facilities to achieve whatever he desires to enjoy in this material world. Suffering is a reaction to the living entity’s propensity to try to lord it over the material world. But the Lord instructs His friend, the individual soul, who is also His son, to give up all other engagements and simply surrender unto Him for perpetual bliss and an eternal life full of knowledge. This is the last instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, the most authorized and widely read book on all varieties of yoga. Thus the last word of Bhagavad-gītā is the last word in the perfection of yoga. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that a person who is always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the topmost yogī. What is Kṛṣṇa consciousness? As the individual soul is present by his consciousness throughout his entire body, so the Supersoul, or Paramātmā, is present throughout the whole creation by superconsciousness. This superconscious energy is imitated by the individual soul, who has limited consciousness. I can understand what is going on within my limited body, but I cannot feel what is going on in another’s body. I am present throughout my body by my consciousness, but my consciousness is not present in another’s body. The Supersoul, or Paramātmā, however, being present everywhere and within everyone, is also conscious of everyone’s existence. The theory that the soul and the Supersoul are one is not acceptable because it is not confirmed by authoritative Vedic literature. The individual soul’s consciousness cannot act in superconsciousness. This superconsciousness can be achieved, however, by dovetailing individual consciousness with the consciousness of the Supreme. This dovetailing process is called surrender, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. From the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā we learn very clearly that Arjuna, in the beginning, did not want to fight with his brothers and relatives, but after understanding Bhagavad-gītā he dovetailed his consciousness with the superconsciousness of Kṛṣṇa. He was then in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A person in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness acts by the dictation of Kṛṣṇa. In the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dictation is received through the transparent medium of the spiritual master. When one is sufficiently trained and acts in submissive faith and love for Kṛṣṇa under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, the dovetailing process becomes more firm and accurate. This stage of devotional service by the devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the most perfect stage of the yoga system. At this stage, Kṛṣṇa, or the Supersoul, dictates from within, while from without the devotee is helped by the spiritual master, who is the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. From within He helps the devotee as caitya, for He is seated within the heart of everyone. Understanding that God is seated within everyone’s heart is not, however, sufficient. One has to be acquainted with God from both within and without, and one must take dictation from within and without to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the highest perfectional stage of the human form of life and the topmost perfection of all yoga. For a perfect yogī, there are eight kinds of superachievements: one can become lighter than air, one can become smaller than the atom, one can become bigger than a mountain, one can achieve whatever he desires, one can control like the Lord, and so on. But when one rises to the perfectional stage of receiving dictation from the Lord, that is greater than any stage of material achievements above mentioned. The breathing exercise of the yoga system which is generally practiced is just the beginning. Meditation on the Supersoul is just another step forward. But to obtain direct contact with the Supersoul and take dictation from Him is the highest perfectional stage. The breathing exercises of meditation practice were very difficult even five thousand years ago, otherwise Arjuna would not have rejected the proposal of Kṛṣṇa that he adopt this system. This age of Kali is called the fallen age. In this age, people in general are short-living and very slow to understand self-realization or spiritual life; they are mostly unfortunate, and therefore if someone is a little bit interested in self-realization he is likely to be misguided by so many frauds. The only way to realize the perfect stage of yoga is to follow the principles of Bhagavad-gītā as practiced by Lord Caitanya. This is the simplest and highest perfection of yoga practice. Lord Caitanya demonstrated this Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system in a practical manner simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, as prescribed in the Vedānta, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, and many important Purāṇas. The largest number of Indians follow this yoga process, and in the United States it is gradually spreading in many cities. It is very easy and practical for this age, especially for those who are serious about success in yoga. No other process of yoga can be successful in this age. The meditation process was possible in the golden age, Satya-yuga, because people in that age used to live for hundreds of thousands of years. If one wants success in practical yoga practice, it is advised that he take to the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and he will actually feel himself making progress. In Bhagavad-gītā this practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is prescribed as rāja-vidyā, or the king of all erudition. Those who have taken to this most sublime bhakti-yoga system, who practice devotional service in transcendental love of Kṛṣṇa, can testify to its happy and easy execution. The four sages Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumāra also became attracted by the features of the Lord and the transcendental aroma of the dust of His lotus feet, as already described in verse 43. Yoga necessitates controlling the senses, and bhakti-yoga, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the process of purifying the senses. When the senses are purified, they are automatically controlled. One cannot stop the activities of the senses by artificial means, but if one purifies the senses by engaging in the service of the Lord, the senses not only can be controlled from rubbish engagement, but can be engaged in the Lord’s transcendental service, as aspired to by the four sages Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumāra. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not, therefore, a manufactured concoction of the speculative mind. It is the process enjoined in Bhagavad-gītā (9.34): man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. |
TEXT 49 k-aMa& >av" Svv*iJaNaEiNaRrYaezu Na" STaa‚ ÀeTaae_il/vÛid Nau Tae PadYaae rMaeTa ) vacê NaSTaul/iSavÛid Tae_x(iga]Xaae>aa" PaUYaeRTa Tae Gau<aGa<aEYaRid k-<aRrNDa]" )) 49 )) kāmaṁ bhavaḥ sva-vṛjinair nirayeṣu naḥ stāc ceto ’livad yadi nu te padayo rameta vācaś ca nas tulasivad yadi te ’ṅghri-śobhāḥ pūryeta te guṇa-gaṇair yadi karṇa-randhraḥ SYNONYMS kāmam—as much as deserved; bhavaḥ—birth; sva-vṛjinaiḥ—by our own sinful activities; nirayeṣu—in low births; naḥ—our; stāt—let it be; cetaḥ—minds; ali-vat—like bees; yadi—if; nu—may be; te—Your; padayoḥ—at Your lotus feet; rameta—are engaged; vācaḥ—words; ca—and; naḥ—our; tulasi-vat—like the tulasī leaves; yadi—if; te—Your; aṅghri—at Your lotus feet; śobhāḥ—beautified; pūryeta—are filled; te—Your; guṇa-gaṇaiḥ—by transcendental qualities; yadi—if; karṇa-randhraḥ—the holes of the ears. TRANSLATION O Lord, we pray that You let us be born in any hellish condition of life, just as long as our hearts and minds are always engaged in the service of Your lotus feet, our words are made beautiful [by speaking of Your activities] just as tulasī leaves are beautified when offered unto Your lotus feet, and as long as our ears are always filled with the chanting of Your transcendental qualities. PURPORT The four sages now offer their humility to the Personality of Godhead because of their having been haughty in cursing two other devotees of the Lord. Jaya and Vijaya, the two doorkeepers who checked them from entering the Vaikuṇṭha planet, were certainly offenders, but as Vaiṣṇavas, the four sages should not have cursed them in anger. After the incident, they became conscious that they had done wrong by cursing the devotees of the Lord, and they prayed to the Lord that even in the hellish condition of life their minds might not be distracted from the engagement of service to the lotus feet of Lord Nārāyaṇa. Those who are devotees of the Lord are not afraid of any condition of life, provided there is constant engagement in the service of the Lord. It is said of the nārāyaṇa-para, or those who are devotees of Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, na kutaścana bibhyati (Bhāg. 6.17.28). They are not afraid of entering a hellish condition, for since they are engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, heaven or hell is the same for them. In material life both heaven and hell are one and the same because they are material; in either place there is no engagement in the Lord’s service. Therefore those who are engaged in the service of the Lord see no distinction between heaven and hell; it is only the materialists who prefer one to the other. These four devotees prayed to the Lord that although they might go to hell because they had cursed devotees, they might not forget the service of the Lord. The transcendental loving service of the Lord is performed in three ways—with the body, with the mind and with words. Here the sages pray that their words may always be engaged in glorifying the Supreme Lord. One may speak very nicely with ornamental language or one may be expert at controlled grammatical presentation, but if one’s words are not engaged in the service of the Lord, they have no flavor and no actual use. The example is given here of tulasī leaves. The tulasī leaf is very useful even from the medicinal or antiseptic point of view. It is considered sacred and is offered to the lotus feet of the Lord. The tulasī leaf has numerous good qualities, but if it were not offered to the lotus feet of the Lord, tulasī could not be of much value or importance. Similarly, one may speak very nicely from the rhetorical or grammatical point of view, which may be very much appreciated by a materialistic audience, but if one’s words are not offered to the service of the Lord, they are useless. The holes of the ears are very small and can be filled with any insignificant sound, so how can they receive as great a vibration as the glorification of the Lord? The answer is that the holes of the ears are like the sky. As the sky can never be filled up, the quality of the ear is such that one may go on pouring in vibrations of various kinds, yet it is capable of receiving more and more vibrations. A devotee is not afraid of going to hell if he has the opportunity to hear the glories of the Lord constantly. This is the advantage of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. One may be put in any condition, but God gives him the prerogative to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. In any condition of life, if one goes on chanting he will never be unhappy. |
Naah& TaQaaiÚ YaJaMaaNahivivRTaaNae XCYaaeTad(ga*TaPlu/TaMadNa( huTa>aux(Mau%eNa ) Yad(b]aø<aSYa Mau%TaêrTaae_NaugaaSa& TauíSYa MaYYavihTaEiNaRJak-MaRPaakE-" )) 8 )) nāhaṁ tathādmi yajamāna-havir vitāne ścyotad-ghṛta-plutam adan huta-bhuṅ-mukhena yad brāhmaṇasya mukhataś carato ’nughāsaṁ tuṣṭasya mayy avahitair nija-karma-pākaiḥ SYNONYMS na—not; aham—I; tathā—on the other hand; admi—I eat; yajamāna—by the sacrificer; haviḥ—the oblations; vitāne—in the sacrificial fire; ścyotat—pouring; ghṛta—ghee; plutam—mixed; adan—eating; huta-bhuk—the sacrificial fire; mukhena—by the mouth; yat—as; brāhmaṇasya—of the brāhmaṇa; mukhataḥ—from the mouth; carataḥ—acting; anughāsam—morsels; tuṣṭasya—satisfied; mayi—to Me; avahitaiḥ—offered; nija—own; karma—activities; pākaiḥ—by the results. TRANSLATION I do not enjoy the oblations offered by the sacrificers in the sacrificial fire, which is one of My own mouths, with the same relish as I do the delicacies overflowing with ghee which are offered to the mouths of the brāhmaṇas who have dedicated to Me the results of their activities and who are ever satisfied with My prasāda. PURPORT The devotee of the Lord, or the Vaiṣṇava, does not take anything without offering it to the Lord. Since a Vaiṣṇava dedicates all the results of his activities to the Lord, he does not taste anything eatable which is not first offered to Him. The Lord also relishes giving to the Vaiṣṇava’s mouth all eatables offered to Him. It is clear from this verse that the Lord eats through the sacrificial fire and the brāhmaṇa’s mouth. So many articles—grains, ghee, etc.—are offered in sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Lord. The Lord accepts sacrificial offerings from the brāhmaṇas and devotees, and elsewhere it is stated that whatever is given for the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas to eat is also accepted by the Lord. But here it is said that He accepts offerings to the mouths of brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas with even greater relish. The best example of this is found in the life of Advaita Prabhu in his dealings with Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Even though Haridāsa was born of a Muhammadan family, Advaita Prabhu offered him the first dish of prasāda after the performance of a sacred fire ceremony. Haridāsa Ṭhākura informed him that he was born of a Muhammadan family and asked why Advaita Prabhu was offering the first dish to a Muhammadan instead of an elevated brāhmaṇa. Out of his humbleness, Haridāsa condemned himself a Muhammadan, but Advaita Prabhu, being an experienced devotee, accepted him as a real brāhmaṇa. Advaita Prabhu asserted that by offering the first dish to Haridāsa Ṭhākura, he was getting the result of feeding one hundred thousand brāhmaṇas. The conclusion is that if one can feed a brāhmaṇa or Vaiṣṇava, it is better than performing hundreds of thousands of sacrifices. In this age, therefore, it is recommended that harer nāma [Adi 17.21]—chanting the holy name of God—and pleasing the Vaiṣṇava are the only means to elevate oneself to spiritual life. |
TEXT 26 é[q>aGavaNauvac WTaaE SaureTarGaiTa& Pa[iTaPaÛ SaÛ" Sa&rM>aSaM>a*TaSaMaaDYaNaubÖYaaeGaaE ) >aUYa" Sak-aXaMauPaYaaSYaTa Aaéu Yaae v" XaaPaae MaYaEv iNaiMaTaSTadveTa ivPa[a" )) 26 )) śrī-bhagavān uvāca etau suretara-gatiṁ pratipadya sadyaḥ saṁrambha-sambhṛta-samādhy-anubaddha-yogau bhūyaḥ sakāśam upayāsyata āśu yo vaḥ śāpo mayaiva nimitas tad aveta viprāḥ SYNONYMS śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead replied; etau—these two doorkeepers; sura-itara—demoniac; gatim—the womb; pratipadya—obtaining; sadyaḥ—quickly; saṁrambha—by anger; sambhṛta—intensified; samādhi—concentration of mind; anubaddha—firmly; yogau—united with Me; bhūyaḥ—again; sakāśam—to My presence; upayāsyataḥ—shall return; āśu—shortly; yaḥ—which; vaḥ—of you; śāpaḥ—curse; mayā—by Me; eva—alone; nimitaḥ—ordained; tat—that; aveta—know; viprāḥ—O brāhmaṇas. TRANSLATION The Lord replied: O brāhmaṇas, know that the punishment you inflicted on them was originally ordained by Me, and therefore they will fall to a birth in a demoniac family. But they will be firmly united with Me in thought through mental concentration intensified by anger, and they will return to My presence shortly. PURPORT The Lord stated that the punishment inflicted by the sages upon the doorkeepers Jaya and Vijaya was conceived by the Lord Himself. Without the Lord’s sanction, nothing can happen. It is to be understood that there was a plan in the cursing of the Lord’s devotees in Vaikuṇṭha, and His plan is explained by many stalwart authorities. The Lord sometimes desires to fight. The fighting spirit also exists in the Supreme Lord, otherwise how could fighting be manifested at all? Because the Lord is the source of everything, anger and fighting are also inherent in His personality. When He desires to fight with someone, He has to find an enemy, but in the Vaikuṇṭha world there is no enemy because everyone is engaged fully in His service. Therefore He sometimes comes to the material world as an incarnation in order to manifest His fighting spirit. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.8) also it is said that the Lord appears just to give protection to the devotees and to annihilate the nondevotees. The nondevotees are found in the material world, not in the spiritual world; therefore, when the Lord wants to fight, He has to come to this world. But who will fight with the Supreme Lord? No one is able to fight with Him! Therefore, because the Lord’s pastimes in the material world are always performed with His associates, not with others, He has to find some devotee who will play the part of an enemy. In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says to Arjuna, “My dear Arjuna, both you and I have appeared many, many times in this material world, but you have forgotten, whereas I remember.” Thus Jaya and Vijaya were selected by the Lord to fight with Him in the material world, and that was the reason the sages came to see Him and accidentally the doorkeepers were cursed. It was the Lord’s desire to send them to the material world, not perpetually, but for some time. Therefore, just as on a theatrical stage someone takes the part of enemy to the proprietor of the stage, although the play is for a short time and there is no permanent enmity between the servant and the proprietor, so the sura janas (devotees) were cursed by the sages to go to the asura jana, or atheistic families. That a devotee should come into an atheistic family is surprising, but it is simply a show. After finishing their mock fighting, both the devotee and the Lord are again associated in the spiritual planets. That is very explicitly explained here. The conclusion is that no one falls from the spiritual world, or Vaikuṇṭha planet, for it is the eternal abode. But sometimes, as the Lord desires, devotees come into this material world as preachers or as atheists. In each case we must understand that there is a plan of the Lord. Lord Buddha, for example, was an incarnation, yet he preached atheism: “There is no God.” But actually there was a plan behind this, as explained in the Bhāgavatam. |
TEXT 31 MaiYa Sa&rM>aYaaeGaeNa iNaSTaqYaR b]øhel/NaMa( ) Pa[TYaeZYaTa& iNak-aXa& Mae k-ale/NaaLPaqYaSaa PauNa" )) 31 )) mayi saṁrambha-yogena nistīrya brahma-helanam pratyeṣyataṁ nikāśaṁ me kālenālpīyasā punaḥ SYNONYMS mayi—unto Me; saṁrambha-yogena—by practice of mystic yoga in anger; nistīrya—being liberated from; brahma-helanam—the result of disobedience to the brāhmaṇas; pratyeṣyatam—will come back; nikāśam—near; me—Me; kālena—in due course of time; alpīyasā—very short; punaḥ—again. TRANSLATION The Lord assured the two Vaikuṇṭha inhabitants, Jaya and Vijaya: By practicing the mystic yoga system in anger, you will be cleansed of the sin of disobeying the brāhmaṇas and within a very short time return to Me. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead advised the two doorkeepers, Jaya and Vijaya, that by dint of bhakti-yoga in anger they would be delivered from the curses of the brāhmaṇas. Śrīla Madhva Muni remarks in this connection that by practicing bhakti-yoga one can become free from all sinful reactions. Even a brahma-śāpa, or curse by a brāhmaṇa, which cannot be overcome by any other means, can be overcome by bhakti-yoga. One can practice bhakti-yoga in many rasas. There are twelve rasas, five primary and seven secondary. The five primary rasas constitute direct bhakti-yoga, but although the seven secondary rasas are indirect, they are also counted within bhakti-yoga if they are used in the service of the Lord. In other words, bhakti-yoga is all-inclusive. If one somehow or other becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes engaged in bhakti-yoga, as described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.29.15): kāmaṁ krodhaṁ bhayam. The gopīs were attracted to Kṛṣṇa by bhakti-yoga in a relationship of lusty desire (kāma). Similarly, Kaṁsa was attached to bhakti-yoga by dint of fear of his death. Thus bhakti-yoga is so powerful that even becoming an enemy of the Lord and always thinking of Him can deliver one very quickly. It is said, viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ smṛto daiva āsuras tad-vipanyayaḥ: “Devotees of Lord Viṣṇu are called demigods, whereas nondevotees are called asuras.” But bhakti-yoga is so powerful that both demigods and asuras can derive its benefits if they always think of the personality of Godhead. The basic principle of bhakti-yoga is to think of the Supreme Lord always. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (18.65), man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: “Always think of Me.” It doesn’t matter which way one thinks; the very thought of the Personality of Godhead is the basic principle of bhakti-yoga. In the material planets there are different grades of sinful activities, of which disrespecting a brāhmaṇa or a Vaiṣṇava is the most sinful. Here it is clearly stated that one can overcome even that grave sin simply by thinking of Viṣṇu, not even favorably but in anger. Thus even if those who are not devotees always think of Viṣṇu, they become free from all sinful activities. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest form of thought. Lord Viṣṇu is thought of in this age by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. From the statements of the Bhāgavatam it appears that if one thinks of Kṛṣṇa, even as an enemy, that particular qualification—thinking of Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa—cleanses one of all sins. |
TEXT 22 Pa[aduZk*-TaaNaa& MaaYaaNaaMaaSaurq<aa& ivNaaXaYaTa( ) SaudXaRNaañ& >aGavaNa( Pa[aYau» diYaTa& i}aPaaTa( )) 22 )) prāduṣkṛtānāṁ māyānām āsurīṇāṁ vināśayat sudarśanāstraṁ bhagavān prāyuṅkta dayitaṁ tri-pāt SYNONYMS prāduṣkṛtānām—displayed; māyānām—the magical forces; āsurīṇām—displayed by the demon; vināśayat—desiring to destroy; sudarśana-astram—the Sudarśana weapon; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prāyuṅkta—threw; dayitam—beloved; tri-pāt—the enjoyer of all sacrifices. TRANSLATION The Lord, the personal enjoyer of all sacrifices, now discharged His beloved Sudarśana, which was capable of dispersing the magical forces displayed by the demon. PURPORT Even famous yogīs and demons can sometimes enact very magical feats by their mystic power, but in the presence of the Sudarśana cakra, when it is let loose by the Lord, all such magical jugglery is dispersed. The instance of the quarrel between Durvāsā Muni and Mahārāja Ambarīṣa is a practical example in this matter. Durvāsā Muni wanted to display many magical wonders, but when the Sudarśana cakra appeared, Durvāsā himself was afraid and fled to various planets for his personal protection. The Lord is described here as tri-pāt, which means that He is the enjoyer of three kinds of sacrifices. In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord confirms that He is the beneficiary and enjoyer of all sacrifices, penances and austerities. The Lord is the enjoyer of three kinds of yajña. As further described in Bhagavad-gītā, there are sacrifices of goods, sacrifices of meditation and sacrifices of philosophical speculation. Those on the paths of jñāna, yoga and karma all have to come in the end to the Supreme Lord because vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]—the Supreme Lord is the ultimate enjoyer of everything. That is the perfection of all sacrifice. |
MaE}aeYa ovac Wv& ihr<Yaa+aMaSaùiv§-Ma& Sa SaadiYaTva hirraidSaUk-r" ) JaGaaMa l/aek&- SvMa%i<@TaaeTSav& SaMaqi@Ta" PauZk-rivíraidi>a" )) 31 )) maitreya uvāca evaṁ hiraṇyākṣam asahya-vikramaṁ sa sādayitvā harir ādi-sūkaraḥ jagāma lokaṁ svam akhaṇḍitotsavaṁ samīḍitaḥ puṣkara-viṣṭarādibhiḥ SYNONYMS maitreyaḥ uvāca—Śrī Maitreya said; evam—thus; hiraṇyākṣam—Hiraṇyākṣa; asahya-vikramam—very powerful; saḥ—the Lord; sādayitvā—after killing; hariḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ādi-sūkaraḥ—the origin of the boar species; jagāma—returned; lokam—to His abode; svam—own; akhaṇḍita—uninterrupted; utsavam—festival; samīḍitaḥ—being praised; puṣkara-viṣṭara—lotus seat (by Lord Brahmā, whose seat is a lotus); ādibhiḥ—and the others. TRANSLATION Śrī Maitreya continued: After thus killing the most formidable demon Hiraṇyākṣa, the Supreme Lord Hari, the origin of the boar species, returned to His own abode, where there is always an uninterrupted festival. The Lord was praised by all the demigods, headed by Brahmā. PURPORT The Lord is spoken of herewith as the origin of the boar species. As stated in the Vedānta-sūtra (1.1.2), the Absolute Truth is the origin of everything. Therefore it is to be understood that all 8,400,000 species of bodily forms originate from the Lord, who is always ādi, or the beginning. In Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna addresses the Lord as ādyam, or the original. Similarly, in the Brahma-saṁhitā the Lord is addressed as ādi-puruṣam, the original person. Indeed, in Bhagavad-gītā (10.8) the Lord Himself declares, mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate: “From Me everything proceeds.” In this situation the Lord assumed the shape of a boar to kill the demon Hiraṇyākṣa and pick up the earth from the Garbha Ocean. Thus He became ādi-sūkara, the original boar. In the material world a boar or pig is considered most abominable, but the ādi-sūkara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was not treated as an ordinary boar. Even Lord Brahmā and the other demigods praised the Lord’s form as a boar. This verse confirms the statement in Bhagavad-gītā that the Lord appears as He is from His transcendental abode for the sake of killing the miscreants and saving the devotees. By killing the demon Hiraṇyākṣa He fulfilled His promise to kill the demons and always protect the demigods headed by Brahmā. The statement that the Lord returned to His own abode indicates that He has His own particular transcendental residence. Since He is full of all energies, He is all-pervasive in spite of His residing in Goloka Vṛndāvana, just as the sun, although situated in a particular place within the universe, is present by its sunshine throughout the universe. Although the Lord has His particular abode in which to reside, He is all-pervasive. The impersonalists accept one aspect of the Lord’s features, the all-pervasive aspect, but they cannot understand His localized situation in His transcendental abode, where He always engages in fully transcendental pastimes. Especially mentioned in this verse is the word akhaṇḍitotsavam. Utsava means “pleasure.” Whenever some function takes place to express happiness, it is called utsava. Utsava, the expression of complete happiness, is always present in the Vaikuṇṭhalokas, the abode of the Lord, who is worshipable even by demigods like Brahmā, to say nothing of other, less important entities such as human beings. The Lord descends from His abode to this world, and therefore He is called avatāra, which means “one who descends.” Sometimes avatāra is understood to refer to an incarnation who assumes a material form of flesh and bone, but actually avatāra refers to one who descends from higher regions. The Lord’s abode is situated far above this material sky, and He descends from that higher position; thus He is called avatāra. |
TEXT 35 Yaa va k-aictvMable/ idíya SaNdXaRNa& Tav ) oTSauNaaezq+aMaa<aaNaa& k-Nduk-§-I@Yaa MaNa" )) 35 )) yā vā kācit tvam abale diṣṭyā sandarśanaṁ tava utsunoṣīkṣamāṇānāṁ kanduka-krīḍayā manaḥ SYNONYMS yā—whosoever; vā—or; kācit—anyone; tvam—you; abale—O beautiful girl; diṣṭyā—by fortune; sandarśanam—seeing; tava—of you; utsunoṣi—you agitate; īkṣamāṇānām—of the onlookers; kanduka—with a ball; krīḍayā—by play; manaḥ—the mind. TRANSLATION Whosoever you may be, O beautiful girl, we are fortunate in being able to see you. While playing with a ball, you have agitated the minds of all onlookers. PURPORT Demons arrange many kinds of performances to see the glaring beauty of a beautiful woman. Here it is stated that they saw the girl playing with a ball. Sometimes the demoniac arrange for so-called sports, like tennis, with the opposite sex. The purpose of such sporting is to see the bodily construction of the beautiful girl and enjoy a subtle sex mentality. This demoniac sex mentality of material enjoyment is sometimes encouraged by so-called yogīs who encourage the public to enjoy sex life in different varieties and at the same time advertise that if one meditates on a certain manufactured mantra one can become God within six months. The public wants to be cheated, and Kṛṣṇa therefore creates such cheaters to misrepresent and delude. These so-called yogīs are actually enjoyers of the world garbed as yogīs. Bhagavad-gītā, however, recommends that if one wants to enjoy life, then it cannot be with these gross senses. A patient is advised by the experienced physician to refrain from ordinary enjoyment while in the diseased condition. A diseased person cannot enjoy anything; he has to restrain his enjoyment in order to get rid of the disease. Similarly, our material condition is a diseased condition. If one wants to enjoy real sense enjoyment, then one must get free of the entanglement of material existence. In spiritual life we can enjoy sense enjoyment which has no end. The difference between material and spiritual enjoyment is that material enjoyment is limited. Even if a man engages in material sex enjoyment, he cannot enjoy it for long. But when the sex enjoyment is given up, then one can enter spiritual life, which is unending. In the Bhāgavatam (5.5.1) it is stated that brahma-saukhya, spiritual happiness, is ananta, unending. Foolish creatures are enamored by the beauty of matter and think that the enjoyment it offers is real, but actually that is not real enjoyment. |
MaE}aeYa ovac Pa[Jaa" Sa*JaeiTa >aGavaNa( k-dRMaae b]ø<aaeidTa" ) SarSvTYaa& TaPaSTaePae Sahóa<aa& SaMaa dXa )) 6 )) maitreya uvāca prajāḥ sṛjeti bhagavān kardamo brahmaṇoditaḥ sarasvatyāṁ tapas tepe sahasrāṇāṁ samā daśa SYNONYMS maitreyaḥ uvāca—the great sage Maitreya said; prajāḥ—children; sṛja—beget; iti—thus; bhagavān—the worshipful; kardamaḥ—Kardama Muni; brahmaṇā—by Lord Brahmā; uditaḥ—commanded; sarasvatyām—on the bank of the River Sarasvatī; tapaḥ—penance; tepe—practiced; sahasrāṇām—of thousands; samāḥ—years; daśa—ten. TRANSLATION The great sage Maitreya replied: Commanded by Lord Brahmā to beget children in the worlds, the worshipful Kardama Muni practiced penance on the bank of the River Sarasvatī for a period of ten thousand years. PURPORT It is understood herein that Kardama Muni meditated in yoga for ten thousand years before attaining perfection. Similarly, we have information that Vālmīki Muni also practiced yoga meditation for sixty thousand years before attaining perfection. Therefore, yoga practice can be successfully performed by persons who have a very long duration of life, such as one hundred thousand years; in that way it is possible to have perfection in yoga. Otherwise, there is no possibility of attaining the real perfection. Following the regulations, controlling the senses and practicing the different sitting postures are merely the preliminary practices. We do not know how people can be captivated by the bogus yoga system in which it is stated that simply by meditating fifteen minutes daily one can attain the perfection of becoming one with God. This age (Kali-yuga) is the age of bluffing and quarrel. Actually there is no possibility of attaining yoga perfection by such paltry proposals. The Vedic literature, for emphasis, clearly states three times that in this age of Kali—kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva—there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative than harer nāma [Adi 17.21], chanting the holy name of the Lord. |
iNarq+aTaSTaSYa YaYaavXaez‚ iSaÖeìrai>aíuTaiSaÖMaaGaR" ) Aak-<aRYaNa( Pa}arQaeNd]Pa+aE‚ åÀairTa& STaaeMaMaudq<aRSaaMa )) 34 )) nirīkṣatas tasya yayāv aśeṣa- siddheśvarābhiṣṭuta-siddha-mārgaḥ ākarṇayan patra-rathendra-pakṣair uccāritaṁ stomam udīrṇa-sāma SYNONYMS nirīkṣataḥ tasya—while he was looking on; yayau—He left; aśeṣa—all; siddha-īśvara—by liberated souls; abhiṣṭuta—is praised; siddha-mārgaḥ—the way to the spiritual world; ākarṇayan—hearing; patra-ratha-indra—of Garuḍa (king of birds); pakṣaiḥ—by the wings; uccāritam—vibrated; stomam—hymns; udīrṇa-sāma—forming the Sāma Veda. TRANSLATION While the sage stood looking on, the Lord left by the pathway leading to Vaikuṇṭha, a path extolled by all great liberated souls. The sage stood listening as the hymns forming the basis of the Sāma Veda were vibrated by the flapping wings of the Lord’s carrier, Garuḍa. PURPORT In the Vedic literature it is stated that the two wings of the transcendental bird Garuḍa, who carries the Lord everywhere, are two divisions of the Sāma Veda known as bṛhat and rathāntara. Garuḍa works as the carrier of the Lord; therefore he is considered the transcendental prince of all carriers. With his two wings Garuḍa began to vibrate the Sāma Veda, which is chanted by great sages to pacify the Lord. The Lord is worshiped by Brahmā, by Lord Śiva, by Garuḍa and other demigods with selected poems, and great sages worship Him with the hymns of Vedic literatures, such as the Upaniṣads and Sāma Veda. These Sāma Veda utterances are automatically heard by the devotee when another great devotee of the Lord, Garuḍa, flaps his wings. It is clearly stated here that the sage Kardama began to look to the path by which the Lord was being carried to Vaikuṇṭha. It is thus confirmed that the Lord descends from His abode, Vaikuṇṭha, in the spiritual sky, and is carried by Garuḍa. The path which leads to Vaikuṇṭha is not worshiped by the ordinary class of transcendentalists. Only those who are already liberated from material bondage can become devotees of the Lord. Those who are not liberated from material bondage cannot understand transcendental devotional service. In Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly stated, yatatām api siddhānām [Bg. 7.3]. There are many persons who are trying to attain perfection by striving for liberation from material bondage, and those who are actually liberated are called brahma-bhūta or siddha. Only the siddhas, or persons liberated from material bondage, can become devotees. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā: anyone who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or devotional service, is already liberated from the influence of the modes of material nature. Here it is also confirmed that the path of devotional service is worshiped by liberated persons, not the conditioned souls. The conditioned soul cannot understand the devotional service of the Lord. Kardama Muni was a liberated soul who saw the Supreme Lord in person, face to face. There was no doubt that he was liberated, and thus he could see Garuḍa carrying the Lord on the way to Vaikuṇṭha and hear the flapping of his wings vibrating the sound of Hare Kṛṣṇa, the essence of the Sāma Veda. |
TEXT 50 NaUNa& cx(k]-Ma<a& dev SaTaa& Sa&r+a<aaYa Tae ) vDaaYa caSaTaa& YaSTv& hre" Xai¢-ihR Paail/Naq )) 50 )) nūnaṁ caṅkramaṇaṁ deva satāṁ saṁrakṣaṇāya te vadhāya cāsatāṁ yas tvaṁ hareḥ śaktir hi pālinī SYNONYMS nūnam—surely; caṅkramaṇam—the tour; deva—O lord; satām—of the virtuous; saṁrakṣaṇāya—for the protection; te—your; vadhāya—for killing; ca—and; asatām—of the demons; yaḥ—the person who; tvam—you; hareḥ—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śaktiḥ—the energy; hi—since; pālinī—protecting. TRANSLATION The tour you have undertaken, O lord, is surely intended to protect the virtuous and kill the demons, since you embody the protecting energy of Śrī Hari. PURPORT It appears from many Vedic literatures, especially histories like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and the purāṇas, that the pious kings of old used to tour their kingdoms in order to give protection to the pious citizens and to chastise or kill the impious. Sometimes they used to kill animals in the forests to practice the killing art because without such practice they would not be able to kill the undesirable elements. Kṣatriyas are allowed to commit violence in that way because violence for a good purpose is a part of their duty. Here two terms are clearly mentioned: vadhāya, “for the purpose of killing,” and asatām, “those who are undesirable.” The protecting energy of the king is supposed to be the energy of the Supreme Lord. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.8) the Lord says, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. The Lord descends to give protection to the pious and to kill the demons. The potency, therefore, to give protection to the pious and kill the demons or undesirables is directly an energy from the Supreme Lord, and the king or the chief executive of the state is supposed to possess such energy. In this age it is very difficult to find such a head of state who is expert in killing the undesirables. Modern heads of state sit very nicely in their palaces and try without reason to kill innocent persons. |
TEXTS 52–54 Na Yada rQaMaaSQaaYa JaE}a& Mai<aGa<aaiPaRTaMa( ) ivSfU-JaRÀ<@k-aed<@ae rQaeNa }aaSaYaàgaaNa( )) 52 )) SvSaENYacr<a+au<<a& vePaYaNMa<@l&/ >auv" ) ivk-zRNa( b*hTaq& SaeNaa& PaYaR$=SYa&éuMaaiNav )) 53 )) TadEv SaeTav" SaveR v<aaRé[MaiNabNDaNaa" ) >aGavd]icTaa raJaNa( i>aÛerNa( bTa dSYaui>a" )) 54 )) na yadā ratham āsthāya jaitraṁ maṇi-gaṇārpitam visphūrjac-caṇḍa-kodaṇḍo rathena trāsayann aghān sva-sainya-caraṇa-kṣuṇṇaṁ vepayan maṇḍalaṁ bhuvaḥ vikarṣan bṛhatīṁ senāṁ paryaṭasy aṁśumān iva tadaiva setavaḥ sarve varṇāśrama-nibandhanāḥ bhagavad-racitā rājan bhidyeran bata dasyubhiḥ SYNONYMS na—not; yadā—when; ratham—the chariot; āsthāya—having mounted; jaitram—victorious; maṇi—of jewels; gaṇa—with clusters; arpitam—bedecked; visphūrjat—twanging; caṇḍa—a fearful sound just to punish the criminals; kodaṇḍaḥ—bow; rathena—by the presence of such a chariot; trāsayan—threatening; aghān—all the culprits; sva-sainya—of your soldiers; caraṇa—by the feet; kṣuṇṇam—trampled; vepayan—causing to tremble; maṇḍalam—the globe; bhuvaḥ—of the earth; vikarṣan—leading; bṛhatīm—huge; senām—army; paryaṭasi—you roam about; aṁśumān—the brilliant sun; iva—like; tadā—then; eva—certainly; setavaḥ—religious codes; sarve—all; varṇa—of varṇas; āśrama—of āśramas; nibandhanāḥ—obligations; bhagavat—by the Lord; racitāḥ—created; rājan—O King; bhidyeran—they would be broken; bata—alas; dasyubhiḥ—by rogues. TRANSLATION If you did not mount your victorious jeweled chariot, whose mere presence threatens culprits, if you did not produce fierce sounds by the twanging of your bow, and if you did not roam about the world like the brilliant sun, leading a huge army whose trampling feet cause the globe of the earth to tremble, then all the moral laws governing the varṇas and āśramas created by the Lord Himself would be broken by the rogues and rascals. PURPORT It is the duty of a responsible king to protect the social and spiritual orders in human society. The spiritual orders are divided into four āśramas—brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa—and the social orders, according to work and qualification, are made up of the brāhmaṇas, the kṣatriyas, the vaiśyas and the śūdras. These social orders, according to the different grades of work and qualification, are described in Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, for want of proper protection by responsible kings, the system of social and spiritual orders has now become a hereditary caste system. But this is not the actual system. Human society means that society which is making progress toward spiritual realization. The most advanced human society was known as ārya; ārya refers to those who are advancing. So the question is, “Which society is advancing?” Advancement does not mean creating material “necessities” unnecessarily and thus wasting human energy in aggravation over so-called material comforts. Real advancement is advancement toward spiritual realization, and the community which acted toward this end was known as the Āryan civilization. The intelligent men, the brāhmaṇas, as exemplified by Kardama Muni, were engaged in advancing the spiritual cause, and kṣatriyas like Emperor Svāyambhuva used to rule the country and insure that all facilities for spiritual realization were nicely provided. It is the duty of the king to travel all over the country and see that everything is in order. Indian civilization on the basis of the four varṇas and āśramas deteriorated because of her dependency on foreigners, or those who did not follow the civilization of varṇāśrama. Thus the varṇāśrama system has now been degraded into the caste system. The institution of four varṇas and four āśramas is confirmed herewith to be bhagavad-racita, which means “designed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” In Bhagavad-gītā this is also confirmed: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam [Bg. 4.13]. The Lord says that the institution of four varṇas and four āśramas “is created by Me.” Anything created by the Lord cannot be closed or covered. The divisions of varṇas and āśramas will continue to exist, either in their original form or in degraded form, but because they are created by the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they cannot be extinguished. They are like the sun, a creation of God, and therefore will remain. Either covered by clouds or in a clear sky, the sun will continue to exist. Similarly, when the varṇāśrama system becomes degraded, it appears as a hereditary caste system, but in every society there is an intelligent class of men, a martial class, a mercantile class and a laborer class. When they are regulated for cooperation among communities according to the Vedic principles, then there is peace and spiritual advancement. But when there is hatred and malpractice and mutual mistrust in the caste system, the whole system becomes degraded, and as stated herein, it creates a deplorable state. At the present moment, the entire world is in this deplorable condition because of giving rights to so many interests. This is due to the degradation of the four castes of varṇas and āśramas. |
TEXT 56 Naeh YaTk-MaR DaMaaRYa Na ivraGaaYa k-LPaTae ) Na TaqQaRPadSaevaYaE JaqvàiPa Ma*Taae ih Sa" )) 56 )) neha yat karma dharmāya na virāgāya kalpate na tīrtha-pada-sevāyai jīvann api mṛto hi saḥ SYNONYMS na—not; iha—here; yat—which; karma—work; dharmāya—for perfection of religious life; na—not; virāgāya—for detachment; kalpate—leads; na—not; tīrtha-pada—of the Lord’s lotus feet; sevāyai—to devotional service; jīvan—living; api—although; mṛtaḥ—dead; hi—indeed; saḥ—he. TRANSLATION Anyone whose work is not meant to elevate him to religious life, anyone whose religious ritualistic performances do not raise him to renunciation, and anyone situated in renunciation that does not lead him to devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must be considered dead, although he is breathing. PURPORT Devahūti’s statement is that since she was attached to living with her husband for sense gratification, which does not lead to liberation from material entanglement, her life was simply a waste of time. Any work one performs that does not lead to the state of religious life is useless activity. Everyone is by nature inclined to some sort of work, and when that work leads one to religious life and religious life leads one to renunciation and renunciation leads one to devotional service, one attains the perfection of work. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, any work that does not lead ultimately to the standard of devotional service is a cause of bondage in the material world. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ [Bg. 3.9]). Unless one is gradually elevated to the position of devotional service, beginning from his natural activity, he is to be considered a dead body. Work which does not lead one to the understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is considered useless. |
TEXT 28 bhuJaNMaivPaKveNa SaMYaGYaaeGaSaMaaiDaNaa ) d]íu& YaTaNTae YaTaYa" éUNYaaGaarezu YaTPadMa( )) 28 )) bahu-janma-vipakvena samyag-yoga-samādhinā draṣṭuṁ yatante yatayaḥ śūnyāgāreṣu yat-padam SYNONYMS bahu—many; janma—after births; vipakvena—which is mature; samyak—perfect; yoga-samādhinā—by trance in yoga; draṣṭum—to see; yatante—they endeavor; yatayaḥ—the yogīs; śūnya-agāreṣu—in secluded places; yat—whose; padam—feet. TRANSLATION After many births, mature yogīs, by complete trance in yoga, endeavor in secluded places to see the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. PURPORT Some important things are mentioned here about yoga. The word bahu janma-vipakvena means “after many, many births of mature yoga practice.” And another word, samyag-yoga-samādhinā, means “by complete practice of the yoga system.” Complete practice of yoga means bhakti-yoga; unless one comes to the point of bhakti-yoga, or surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one’s yoga practice is not complete. This same point is corroborated in the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: [Bg. 7.19] after many, many births, the jñānī who has matured in transcendental knowledge surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kardama Muni repeats the same statement. After many, many years and many, many births of complete practice of yoga, one can see the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord in a secluded place. It is not that after one practices some sitting postures he immediately becomes perfect. One has to perform yoga a long time—“many, many births”—to become mature, and a yogī has to practice in a secluded place. One cannot practice yoga in a city or in a public park and declare that he has become God simply by some exchange of dollars. This is all bogus propaganda. Those who are actually yogīs practice in a secluded place, and after many, many births they become successful, provided they surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the completion of yoga. |
TEXT 29 Sa Wv >aGavaNaÛ hel/Na& NaGa<aYYa Na" ) Ga*hezu JaaTaae Ga]aMYaa<aa& Ya" SvaNaa& Pa+aPaaez<a" )) 29 )) sa eva bhagavān adya helanaṁ na gaṇayya naḥ gṛheṣu jāto grāmyāṇāṁ yaḥ svānāṁ pakṣa-poṣaṇaḥ SYNONYMS saḥ eva—that very same; bhagavān—Supreme Personality of Godhead; adya—today; helanam—negligence; na—not; gaṇayya—considering high and low; naḥ—our; gṛheṣu—in the houses; jātaḥ—appeared; grāmyāṇām—of ordinary householders; yaḥ—He who; svānām—of His own devotees; pakṣa-poṣaṇaḥ—who supports the party. TRANSLATION Not considering the negligence of ordinary householders like us, that very same Supreme Personality of Godhead appears in our homes just to support His devotees. PURPORT Devotees are so affectionate toward the Personality of Godhead that although He does not appear before those who practice yoga in a secluded place even for many, many births, He agrees to appear in a householder’s home where devotees engage in devotional service without material yoga practice. In other words, devotional service to the Lord is so easy that even a householder can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead as one of the members of his household, as his son, as Kardama Muni experienced. He was a householder, although a yogī, but he had the incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kapila Muni as his son. Devotional service is such a powerful transcendental method that it surpasses all other methods of transcendental realization. The Lord says, therefore, that He lives neither in Vaikuṇṭha nor in the heart of a yogī, but He lives where His pure devotees are always chanting and glorifying Him. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as bhakta-vatsala. He is never described as jñānī-vatsala or yogī-vatsala. He is always described as bhakta-vatsala because He is more inclined toward His devotees than toward other transcendentalists. In Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed that only a devotee can understand Him as He is. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: [Bg. 18.55] “One can understand Me only by devotional service, not otherwise.” That understanding alone is real because although jñānīs, mental speculators, can realize only the effulgence, or the bodily luster, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and yogīs can realize only the partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a bhakta not only realizes Him as He is but also associates with the Personality of Godhead face to face. |
TEXT 37 Wz AaTMaPaQaae_VYa¢-ae Naí" k-ale/Na >aUYaSaa ) Ta& Pa[vTaRiYaTau& dehiMaMa& iviÖ MaYaa >a*TaMa( )) 37 )) eṣa ātma-patho ’vyakto naṣṭaḥ kālena bhūyasā taṁ pravartayituṁ deham imaṁ viddhi mayā bhṛtam SYNONYMS eṣaḥ—this; ātma-pathaḥ—path of self-realization; avyaktaḥ—difficult to be known; naṣṭaḥ—lost; kālena bhūyasā—in the course of time; tam—this; pravartayitum—to introduce again; deham—body; imam—this; viddhi—please know; mayā—by Me; bhṛtam—assumed. TRANSLATION This path of self-realization, which is difficult to understand, has now been lost in the course of time. Please know that I have assumed this body of Kapila to introduce and explain this philosophy to human society again. PURPORT It is not true that Sāṅkhya philosophy is a new system of philosophy introduced by Kapila as material philosophers introduce new kinds of mental speculative thought to supersede that of another philosopher. On the material platform, everyone, especially the mental speculator, tries to be more prominent than others. The field of activity of the speculators is the mind; there is no limit to the different ways in which one can agitate the mind. The mind can be unlimitedly agitated, and thus one can put forward an unlimited number of theories. Sāṅkhya philosophy is not like that; it is not mental speculation. It is factual, but at the time of Kapila it was lost. In due course of time, a particular type of knowledge may be lost or may be covered for the time being; that is the nature of this material world. A similar statement was made by Lord Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā. Sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ: “In course of time the yoga system as stated in Bhagavad-gītā was lost.” It was coming in paramparā, in disciplic succession, but due to the passage of time it was lost. The time factor is so pressing that in the course of time everything within this material world is spoiled or lost. The yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā was lost before the meeting of Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Therefore Kṛṣṇa again enunciated the same ancient yoga system to Arjuna, who could actually understand Bhagavad-gītā. Similarly, Kapila also said that the system of Sāṅkhya philosophy was not exactly being introduced by Him; it was already current, but in course of time it was mysteriously lost, and therefore He appeared to reintroduce it. That is the purpose of the incarnation of Godhead. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata [Bg. 4.7]. Dharma means the real occupation of the living entity. When there is a discrepancy in the eternal occupation of the living entity, the Lord comes and introduces the real occupation of life. Any so-called religious system that is not in the line of devotional service is called adharma-saṁsthāpana. When people forget their eternal relationship with God and engage in something other than devotional service, their engagement is called irreligion. How one can get out of the miserable condition of material life is stated in Sāṅkhya philosophy, and the Lord Himself is explaining this sublime system. |
MaE}aeYa ovac Wv& SaMauidTaSTaeNa k-iPale/Na Pa[JaaPaiTa" ) di+a<aqk*-TYa Ta& Pa[qTaae vNaMaev JaGaaMa h )) 41 )) maitreya uvāca evaṁ samuditas tena kapilena prajāpatiḥ dakṣiṇī-kṛtya taṁ prīto vanam eva jagāma ha SYNONYMS maitreyaḥ uvāca—the great sage Maitreya said; evam—thus; samuditaḥ—addressed; tena—by Him; kapilena—by Kapila; prajāpatiḥ—the progenitor of human society; dakṣiṇī-kṛtya—having circumambulated; tam—Him; prītaḥ—being pacified; vanam—to the forest; eva—indeed; jagāma—he left; ha—then. TRANSLATION Śrī Maitreya said: Thus when Kardama Muni, the progenitor of human society, was spoken to in fullness by his son, Kapila, he circumambulated Him, and with a good, pacified mind he at once left for the forest. PURPORT Going to the forest is compulsory for everyone. It is not a mental excursion upon which one person goes and another does not. Everyone should go to the forest at least as a vānaprastha. Forest-going means to take one-hundred-percent shelter of the Supreme Lord, as explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja in his talks with his father. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām (Bhāg. 7.5.5). People who have accepted a temporary, material body are always full of anxieties. One should not, therefore, be very much affected by this material body, but should try to be freed. The preliminary process to become freed is to go to the forest or give up family relationships and exclusively engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the purpose of going to the forest. Otherwise, the forest is only a place of monkeys and wild animals. To go to the forest does not mean to become a monkey or a ferocious animal. It means to accept exclusively the shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engage oneself in full service. One does not actually have to go to the forest. At the present moment this is not at all advisable for a man who has spent his life all along in big cities. As explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja (hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam), one should not remain always engaged in the responsibilities of family life because family life without Kṛṣṇa consciousness is just like a blind well. Alone in a field, if one falls into a blind well and no one is there to save him, he may cry for years, and no one will see or hear where the crying is coming from. Death is sure. Similarly, those who are forgetful of their eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord are in the blind well of family life; their position is very ominous. Prahlāda Mahārāja advised that one should give up this well somehow or other and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and thus be freed from material entanglement, which is full of anxieties. |
TEXT 43 MaNaae b]øi<a YauÅaNaae YataTSadSaTa" ParMa( ) Gau<aav>aaSae ivGau<a Wk->a¢-yaNau>aaivTae )) 43 )) mano brahmaṇi yuñjāno yat tat sad-asataḥ param guṇāvabhāse viguṇa eka-bhaktyānubhāvite SYNONYMS manaḥ—mind; brahmaṇi—on the Supreme; yuñjānaḥ—fixing; yat—which; tat—that; sat-asataḥ—cause and effect; param—beyond; guṇa-avabhāse—who manifests the three modes of material nature; viguṇe—who is beyond the material modes; eka-bhaktyā—by exclusive devotion; anubhāvite—who is perceived. TRANSLATION He fixed his mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Parabrahman, who is beyond cause and effect, who manifests the three modes of material nature, who is beyond those three modes, and who is perceived only through unfailing devotional service. PURPORT Whenever there is bhakti, there must be three things present—the devotee, the devotion and the Lord. Without these three—bhakta, bhakti and Bhagavān—there is no meaning to the word bhakti. Kardama Muni fixed his mind on the Supreme Brahman and realized Him through bhakti, or devotional service. This indicates that he fixed his mind on the personal feature of the Lord because bhakti cannot be executed unless one has realization of the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. Guṇāvabhāse: He is beyond the three modes of material nature, but it is due to Him that the three modes of material nature are manifested. In other words, although the material energy is an emanation of the Supreme Lord, He is not affected, as we are, by the modes of material nature. We are conditioned souls, but He is not affected, although the material nature has emanated from Him. He is the supreme living entity and is never affected by māyā, but we are subordinate, minute living entities, prone to be affected by the limitations of māyā. If he is in constant contact with the Supreme Lord by devotional service, the conditioned living entity also becomes freed from the infection of māyā. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā: sa guṇān samatītyaitān [Bg. 14.26]. A person engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is at once liberated from the influence of the three modes of material nature. In other words, once the conditioned soul engages himself in devotional service, he also becomes liberated like the Lord. |
TEXT 18 jaNavEraGYaYau¢e-Na >ai¢-Yau¢e-Na caTMaNaa ) PairPaXYaTYaudaSaqNa& Pa[k*-iTa& c hTaaEJaSaMa( )) 18 )) jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena bhakti-yuktena cātmanā paripaśyaty udāsīnaṁ prakṛtiṁ ca hataujasam SYNONYMS jñāna—knowledge; vairāgya—renunciation; yuktena—equipped with; bhakti—devotional service; yuktena—equipped with; ca—and; ātmanā—by the mind; paripaśyati—one sees; udāsīnam—indifferent; prakṛtim—material existence; ca—and; hata-ojasam—reduced in strength. TRANSLATION In that position of self-realization, by practice of knowledge and renunciation in devotional service, one sees everything in the right perspective; he becomes indifferent to material existence, and the material influence acts less powerfully upon him. PURPORT As the contamination of the germs of a particular disease can influence a weaker person, similarly the influence of material nature, or illusory energy, can act on the weaker, or conditioned, soul but not on the liberated soul. Self-realization is the position of the liberated state. One understands his constitutional position by knowledge and vairāgya, renunciation. Without knowledge, one cannot have realization. The realization that one is the infinitesimal part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit makes him unattached to material, conditional life. That is the beginning of devotional service. Unless one is liberated from material contamination, one cannot engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord. In this verse, therefore, it is stated, jñāna-vairāgya-yuktena: when one is in full knowledge of one’s constitutional position and is in the renounced order of life, detached from material attraction, then, by pure devotional service, bhakti-yuktena, he can engage himself as a loving servant of the Lord. paripaśyati means that he can see everything in its right perspective. Then the influence of material nature becomes almost nil. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā: [Bg. 18.54] when one is self-realized he becomes happy and free from the influence of material nature, and at that time he is freed from lamentation and hankering. The Lord states that position as mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [Bg. 18.54], the real state of beginning devotional service. Similarly, it is confirmed in the Nārada-pañcarātra that when the senses are purified they can then be engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. One who is attached to material contamination cannot be a devotee. |
TEXT 20 Pa[Sa(r)MaJar& PaaXaMaaTMaNa" k-vYaae ivdu" ) Sa Wv SaaDauzu k*-Taae Maae+aÜarMaPaav*TaMa( )) 20 )) prasaṅgam ajaraṁ pāśam ātmanaḥ kavayo viduḥ sa eva sādhuṣu kṛto mokṣa-dvāram apāvṛtam SYNONYMS prasaṅgam—attachment; ajaram—strong; pāśam—entanglement; ātmanaḥ—of the soul; kavayaḥ—learned men; viduḥ—know; saḥ eva—that same; sādhuṣu—to the devotees; kṛtaḥ—applied; mokṣa-dvāram—the door of liberation; apāvṛtam—opened. TRANSLATION Every learned man knows very well that attachment for the material is the greatest entanglement of the spirit soul. But that same attachment, when applied to the self-realized devotees, opens the door of liberation. PURPORT Here it is clearly stated that attachment for one thing is the cause of bondage in conditioned life, and the same attachment, when applied to something else, opens the door of liberation. Attachment cannot be killed; it has simply to be transferred. Attachment for material things is called material consciousness, and attachment for Kṛṣṇa or His devotee is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Consciousness, therefore, is the platform of attachment. It is clearly stated here that when we simply purify the consciousness from material consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we attain liberation. Despite the statement that one should give up attachment, desirelessness is not possible for a living entity. A living entity, by constitution, has the propensity to be attached to something. We see that if someone has no object of attachment, if he has no children, then he transfers his attachment to cats and dogs. This indicates that the propensity for attachment cannot be stopped; it must be utilized for the best purpose. Our attachment for material things perpetuates our conditional state, but the same attachment, when transferred to the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His devotee, is the source of liberation. Here it is recommended that attachment should be transferred to the self-realized devotees, the sādhus. And who is a sādhu? A sādhu is not just an ordinary man with a saffron robe or long beard. A sādhu is described in Bhagavad-gītā as one who unflinchingly engages in devotional service. Even though one is found not to be following the strict rules and regulations of devotional service, if one simply has unflinching faith in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person, he is understood to be a sādhu. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [Bg. 9.30]. A sādhu is a strict follower of devotional service. It is recommended here that if one at all wants to realize Brahman, or spiritual perfection, his attachment should be transferred to the sādhu, or devotee. Lord Caitanya also confirmed this. Lava-mātra sādhu-saṅge sarva-siddhi haya: [Cc. Madhya 22.54] simply by a moment’s association with a sādhu, one can attain perfection. Mahātmā is a synonym of sādhu. It is said that service to a mahātmā, or elevated devotee of the Lord, is dvāram āhur vimukteḥ, the royal road of liberation. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes tamo-dvāraṁ yoṣitāṁ saṅgi-saṅgam (Bhāg. 5.5.2). Rendering service to the materialists has the opposite effect. If anyone offers service to a gross materialist, or a person engaged only in sense enjoyment, then by association with such a person the door to hell is opened. The same principle is confirmed here. Attachment to a devotee is attachment to the service of the Lord because if one associates with a sādhu, the result will be that the sādhu will teach him how to become a devotee, a worshiper and a sincere servitor of the Lord. These are the gifts of a sādhu. If we want to associate with a sādhu, we cannot expect him to give us instructions on how to improve our material condition, but he will give us instructions on how to cut the knot of the contamination of material attraction and how to elevate ourselves in devotional service. That is the result of associating with a sādhu. Kapila Muni first of all instructs that the path of liberation begins with such association. |
TEXT 23 Madaé[Yaa" k-Qaa Ma*ía" é*<viNTa k-QaYaiNTa c ) TaPaiNTa ivivDaaSTaaPaa NaETaaNMaÓTaceTaSa" )) 23 )) mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca tapanti vividhās tāpā naitān mad-gata-cetasaḥ SYNONYMS mat-āśrayāḥ—about Me; kathāḥ—stories; mṛṣṭāḥ—delightful; śṛṇvanti—they hear; kathayanti—they chant; ca—and; tapanti—inflict suffering; vividhāḥ—various; tāpāḥ—the material miseries; na—do not; etān—unto them; mat-gata—fixed on Me; cetasaḥ—their thoughts. TRANSLATION Engaged constantly in chanting and hearing about Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the sādhus do not suffer from material miseries because they are always filled with thoughts of My pastimes and activities. PURPORT There are multifarious miseries in material existence—those pertaining to the body and the mind, those imposed by other living entities and those imposed by natural disturbances. But a sādhu is not disturbed by such miserable conditions because his mind is always filled with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and thus he does not like to talk about anything but the activities of the Lord. Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did not speak of anything but the pastimes of the Lord. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (Bhāg. 9.4.18). He engaged his words only in glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sādhus are always interested in hearing about the activities of the Lord or His devotees. Since they are filled with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are forgetful of the material miseries. Ordinary conditioned souls, being forgetful of the activities of the Lord, are always full of anxieties and material tribulations. On the other hand, since the devotees always engage in the topics of the Lord, they are forgetful of the miseries of material existence. |
TEXT 29 Yaae YaaeGaae >aGavØa<aae iNavaR<aaTMa&STvYaaeidTa" ) k-Id*Xa" k-iTa ca(r)aiNa YaTaSTatvavbaeDaNaMa( )) 29 )) yo yogo bhagavad-bāṇo nirvāṇātmaṁs tvayoditaḥ kīdṛśaḥ kati cāṅgāni yatas tattvāvabodhanam SYNONYMS yaḥ—which; yogaḥ—mystic yoga process; bhagavat-bāṇaḥ—aiming at the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nirvāṇa-ātman—O embodiment of nirvāṇa; tvayā—by You; uditaḥ—explained; kīdṛśaḥ—of what nature; kati—how many; ca—and; aṅgāni—branches; yataḥ—by which; tattva—of the truth; avabodhanam—understanding. TRANSLATION The mystic yoga system, as You have explained, aims at the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is meant for completely ending material existence. Please let me know the nature of that yoga system. How many ways are there by which one can understand in truth that sublime yoga? PURPORT There are different kinds of mystic yoga systems aiming for different phases of the Absolute Truth. The jñāna-yoga system aims at the impersonal Brahman effulgence, and the haṭha-yoga system aims at the localized personal aspect, the Paramātmā feature of the Absolute Truth, whereas bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, which is executed in nine different ways, headed by hearing and chanting, aims at complete realization of the Supreme Lord. There are different methods of self-realization. But here Devahūti especially refers to the bhakti-yoga system, which has already been primarily explained by the Lord. The different parts of the bhakti-yoga system are hearing, chanting, remembering, offering prayers, worshiping the Lord in the temple, accepting service to Him, carrying out His orders, making friendship with Him and ultimately surrendering everything for the service of the Lord. The word nirvāṇātman is very significant in this verse. Unless one accepts the process of devotional service, one cannot end the continuation of material existence. As far as jñānīs are concerned, they are interested in jñāna-yoga, but even if one elevates oneself, after a great performance of austerity, to the Brahman effulgence, there is a chance of falling down again to the material world. Therefore, jñāna-yoga does not actually end material existence. Similarly, regarding the haṭha-yoga system, which aims at the localized aspect of the Lord, Paramātmā, it has been experienced that many yogīs, such as Viśvāmitra, fall down. But bhakti-yogīs, once approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead, never come back to this material world, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yad gatvā na nivartante: [Bg. 15.6] upon going, one never comes back. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti: [Bg. 4.9] after giving up this body, he never comes back again to accept a material body. Nirvāṇa does not finish the existence of the soul. The soul is ever existing. Therefore nirvāṇa means to end one’s material existence, and to end material existence means to go back home, back to Godhead. Sometimes it is asked how the living entity falls down from the spiritual world to the material world. Here is the answer. Unless one is elevated to the Vaikuṇṭha planets, directly in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is prone to fall down, either from the impersonal Brahman realization or from an ecstatic trance of meditation. Another word in this verse, bhagavad-bāṇaḥ, is very significant. Bāṇaḥ means “arrow.” The bhakti-yoga system is just like an arrow aiming up to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The bhakti-yoga system never urges one towards the impersonal Brahman effulgence or to the point of Paramātmā realization. This bāṇaḥ, or arrow, is so sharp and swift that it goes directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, penetrating the regions of impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā. |
TEXT 41 NaaNYa}a MaÙGavTa" Pa[DaaNaPauåzeìraTa( ) AaTMaNa" SavR>aUTaaNaa& >aYa& Taqv]& iNavTaRTae )) 41 )) nānyatra mad bhagavataḥ pradhāna-puruṣeśvarāt ātmanaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ bhayaṁ tīvraṁ nivartate SYNONYMS na—not; anyatra—otherwise; mat—than Myself; bhagavataḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pradhāna-puruṣa-īśvarāt—the Lord of both prakṛti and puruṣa; ātmanaḥ—the soul; sarva-bhūtānām—of all living beings; bhayam—fear; tīvram—terrible; nivartate—is forsaken. TRANSLATION The terrible fear of birth and death can never be forsaken by anyone who resorts to any shelter other than Myself, for I am the almighty Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original source of all creation, and also the Supreme Soul of all souls. PURPORT It is indicated herein that the cycle of birth and death cannot be stopped unless one is a pure devotee of the Supreme Lord. It is said, hariṁ vinā na sṛtiṁ taranti. One cannot surpass the cycle of birth and death unless one is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The same concept is confirmed herewith: one may take to the system of understanding the Absolute Truth by one’s own imperfect sensory speculation, or one may try to realize the self by the mystic yoga process; but whatever one may do, unless he comes to the point of surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no process can give him liberation. One may ask if this means that those who are undergoing so much penance and austerity by strictly following the rules and regulations are endeavoring in vain. The answer is given by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.32): ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. Lord Brahmā and other demigods prayed to the Lord when Kṛṣṇa was in the womb of Devakī: “My dear lotus-eyed Lord, there are persons who are puffed up with the thought that they have become liberated or one with God or have become God, but in spite of thinking in such a puffed-up way, their intelligence is not laudable. They are less intelligent.” It is stated that their intelligence, whether high or low, is not even purified. In purified intelligence a living entity cannot think otherwise than to surrender. Bhagavad-gītā, therefore, confirms that purified intelligence arises in the person of a very wise man. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births, one who is actually advanced in intelligence surrenders unto the Supreme Lord. Without the surrendering process, one cannot achieve liberation. The Bhāgavatam says, “Those who are simply puffed up, thinking themselves liberated by some nondevotional process, are not polished or clear in intelligence, for they have not yet surrendered unto You. In spite of executing all kinds of austerities and penances or even arriving at the brink of spiritual realization in Brahman realization, they think that they are in the effulgence of Brahman, but actually, because they have no transcendental activities, they fall down to material activities.” One should not be satisfied simply with knowing that one is Brahman. He must engage himself in the service of the Supreme Brahman; that is bhakti. The engagement of Brahman should be the service of Parabrahman. It is said that unless one becomes Brahman one cannot serve Brahman. The Supreme Brahman is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the living entity is also Brahman. Without realization that he is Brahman, spirit soul, an eternal servitor of the Lord, if one simply thinks that he is Brahman, his realization is only theoretical. He has to realize and at the same time engage himself in the devotional service of the Lord; then he can exist in the Brahman status. Otherwise he falls down. The Bhāgavatam says that because nondevotees neglect the transcendental loving service of the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, their intelligence is not sufficient, and therefore these persons fall down. The living entity must have some activity. If he does not engage in the activity of transcendental service, he must fall down to material activity. As soon as one falls down to material activity, there is no rescue from the cycle of birth and death. It is stated here by Lord Kapila, “Without My mercy” (nānyatra mad bhagavataḥ). The Lord is stated here to be Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, indicating that He is full of all opulences and is therefore perfectly competent to deliver one from the cycle of birth and death. He is also called pradhāna because He is the Supreme. He is equal to everyone, but to one who surrenders to Him He is especially favorable. It is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that the Lord is equal to everyone; no one is His enemy and no one is His friend. But to one who surrenders unto Him, He is especially inclined. By the grace of the Lord, simply by surrendering unto Him one can get out of this cycle of birth and death. Otherwise, one may go on in many, many lives and may many times attempt other processes for liberation. |
MaÙYaaÜaiTa vaTaae_Ya& SaUYaRSTaPaiTa MaÙYaaTa( ) vzRTaqNd]ae dhTYaiGanMa*RTYauêriTa MaÙYaaTa( )) 42 )) mad-bhayād vāti vāto ’yaṁ sūryas tapati mad-bhayāt varṣatīndro dahaty agnir mṛtyuś carati mad-bhayāt SYNONYMS mat-bhayāt—out of fear of Me; vāti—blows; vātaḥ—wind; ayam—this; sūryaḥ—the sun; tapati—shines; mat-bhayāt—out of fear of Me; varṣati—showers rain; indraḥ—Indra; dahati—burns; agniḥ—fire; mṛtyuḥ—death; carati—goes; mat-bhayāt—out of fear of Me. TRANSLATION It is because of My supremacy that the wind blows, out of fear of Me; the sun shines out of fear of Me, and the lord of the clouds, Indra, sends forth showers out of fear of Me. Fire burns out of fear of Me, and death goes about taking its toll out of fear of Me. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, says in Bhagavad-gītā that the natural laws being enacted are correct in all activities because of His superintendence. No one should think that nature is working automatically, without superintendence. The Vedic literature says that the clouds are controlled by the demigod Indra, heat is distributed by the sun-god, the soothing moonlight is distributed by Candra, and the air is blowing under the arrangement of the demigod Vāyu. But above all these demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the chief living entity. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. The demigods are also ordinary living entities, but due to their faithfulness—their devotional service attitude—they have been promoted to such posts. These different demigods, or directors, such as Candra, Varuṇa and Vāyu, are called adhikāri-devatā. The demigods are departmental heads. The government of the Supreme Lord consists not only of one planet or two or three; there are millions of planets and millions of universes. The Supreme Personality of Godhead has a huge government, and He requires assistants. The demigods are considered His bodily limbs. These are the descriptions of Vedic literature. Under these circumstances, the sun-god, the moon-god, the fire-god and the air-god are working under the direction of the Supreme Lord. It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram [Bg. 9.10]. The natural laws are being conducted under His superintendence. Because He is in the background, everything is being performed punctually and regularly. One who has taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is completely protected from all other influences. He no longer serves or is obliged to anyone else. Of course he is not disobedient to anyone, but his full power of thought is absorbed in the service of the Lord. The statements by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kapila that under His direction the air is blowing, the fire is burning and the sun is giving heat are not sentimental. The impersonalist may say that the Bhāgavatam devotees create and imagine someone as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and assign qualifications to Him; but actually it is neither imagination nor an imposition of artificial power in the name of Godhead. In the Vedas it is said, bhīṣāsmād vātaḥ pavate/ bhīṣodeti sūryaḥ: “By fear of the Supreme Lord the wind-god and the sun-god are acting.” Bhīṣāsmād agniś candraś ca/ mṛtyur dhāvati pañcamaḥ: “Agni, Indra and Mṛtyu are also acting under His direction.” These are the statements of the Vedas. |
TEXT 1 é[q>aGavaNauvac AQa Tae SaMPa[v+YaaiMa TatvaNaa& l/+a<a& Pa*Qak(- ) YaiÜidTva ivMauCYaeTa Pauåz" Pa[ak*-TaEGauR<aE" )) 1 )) śrī-bhagavān uvāca atha te sampravakṣyāmi tattvānāṁ lakṣaṇaṁ pṛthak yad viditvā vimucyeta puruṣaḥ prākṛtair guṇaiḥ SYNONYMS śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Personality of Godhead said; atha—now; te—to you; sampravakṣyāmi—I shall describe; tattvānām—of the categories of the Absolute Truth; lakṣaṇam—the distinctive features; pṛthak—one by one; yat—which; viditvā—knowing; vimucyeta—one can be released; puruṣaḥ—any person; prākṛtaiḥ—of the material nature; guṇaiḥ—from the modes. TRANSLATION The Personality of Godhead, Kapila, continued: My dear mother, now I shall describe unto you the different categories of the Absolute Truth, knowing which any person can be released from the influence of the modes of material nature. PURPORT As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, only through devotional service (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [Bg. 18.55]). As stated in the Bhāgavatam, the object of devotional service is mām, Kṛṣṇa. And, as explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, to understand Kṛṣṇa means to understand Kṛṣṇa in His personal form with His internal energy, His external energy, His expansions and His incarnations. There are many diverse departments of knowledge in understanding Kṛṣṇa. Sāṅkhya philosophy is especially meant for persons who are conditioned by this material world. It is generally understood by the paramparā system, or by disciplic succession, to be the science of devotional service. Preliminary studies of devotional service have already been explained. Now the analytical study of devotional service will be explained by the Lord, who says that by such an analytical study, one becomes freed from the modes of material nature. The same assertion is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā: by understanding the Lord according to various categories, one can become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. This is also explained here. By understanding the science of devotional service in Sāṅkhya philosophy, one can become free from the modes of material nature. The eternal self, after becoming freed from the spell of material nature, becomes eligible to enter into the kingdom of God. As long as one has even a slight desire to enjoy or lord it over material nature, there is no chance of his being freed from the influence of nature’s material modes. Therefore, one has to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead analytically, as explained in the Sāṅkhya system of philosophy by Lord Kapiladeva. |
jaNa& iNa"é[eYaSaaQaaRYa PauåzSYaaTMadXaRNaMa( ) YadahuvR<aRYae Tatae ôdYaGa]iNQa>aedNaMa( )) 2 )) jñānaṁ niḥśreyasārthāya puruṣasyātma-darśanam yad āhur varṇaye tat te hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam SYNONYMS jñānam—knowledge; niḥśreyasa-arthāya—for the ultimate perfection; puruṣasya—of a man; ātma-darśanam—self-realization; yat—which; āhuḥ—they said; varṇaye—I shall explain; tat—that; te—to you; hṛdaya—in the heart; granthi—the knots; bhedanam—cuts. TRANSLATION Knowledge is the ultimate perfection of self-realization. I shall explain that knowledge unto you by which the knots of attachment to the material world are cut. PURPORT It is said that by proper understanding of the pure self, or by self-realization, one can be freed from material attachment. Knowledge leads one to attain the ultimate perfection of life and to see oneself as he is. The Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (3.8) also confirms this. Tam eva viditvāti-mṛtyum eti: simply by understanding one’s spiritual position, or by seeing oneself as he is, one can be freed from material entanglement. In various ways, the seeing of oneself is described in the Vedic literatures, and it is confirmed in the Bhāgavatam (puruṣasya ātma-darśanam) that one has to see oneself and know what he is. As Kapiladeva explains to His mother, this “seeing” can be done by hearing from the proper authoritative source. Kapiladeva is the greatest authority because He is the Personality of Godhead, and if someone accepts whatever is explained as it is, without interpretation, then he can see himself. Lord Caitanya explained to Sanātana Gosvāmī the real constitutional position of the individual. He said directly that each and every individual soul is eternally a servitor of Kṛṣṇa. Jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya—kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’: [Cc. Madhya 20.108] every individual soul is eternally a servitor. When one is fixed in the understanding that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Soul and that his eternal position is to serve in association with the Supreme Lord, he becomes self-realized. This position of rightly understanding oneself cuts the knot of material attraction (hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam). Due to false ego, or false identification of oneself with the body and the material world, one is entrapped by māyā, but as soon as one understands that he is qualitatively the same substance as the Supreme Lord because he belongs to the same category of spirit soul, and that his perpetual position is to serve, one attains ātma-darśanam and hṛdaya-granthi-bhedanam, self-realization. When one can cut the knot of attachment to the material world, his understanding is called knowledge. Ātma-darśanam means to see oneself by knowledge; therefore, when one is freed from the false ego by the cultivation of real knowledge, he sees himself, and that is the ultimate necessity of human life. The soul is thus isolated from the entanglement of the twenty-four categories of material nature. Pursuit of the systematic philosophic process called Sāṅkhya is called knowledge and self-revelation. |
TEXT 3 ANaaidraTMaa Pauåzae iNaGauR<a" Pa[k*-Tae" Par" ) Pa[TYaGDaaMaa SvYa&JYaaeiTaivRì& YaeNa SaMaiNvTaMa( )) 3 )) anādir ātmā puruṣo nirguṇaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ pratyag-dhāmā svayaṁ-jyotir viśvaṁ yena samanvitam SYNONYMS anādiḥ—without a beginning; ātmā—the Supreme Soul; puruṣaḥ—the Personality of Godhead; nirguṇaḥ—transcendental to the material modes of nature; prakṛteḥ paraḥ—beyond this material world; pratyak-dhāmā—perceivable everywhere; svayam-jyotiḥ—self-effulgent; viśvam—the entire creation; yena—by whom; samanvitam—is maintained. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supreme Soul, and He has no beginning. He is transcendental to the material modes of nature and beyond the existence of this material world. He is perceivable everywhere because He is self-effulgent, and by His self-effulgent luster the entire creation is maintained. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described as being without beginning. He is puruṣa, the Supreme Spirit. puruṣa means “person.” When we think of a person in our present experience, that person has a beginning. This means that he has taken birth and that there is a history from the beginning of his life. But the Lord is particularly mentioned here as anādi, beginningless. If we examine all persons, we will find that everyone has a beginning, but when we approach a person who has no beginning, He is the Supreme Person. That is the definition given in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ: [Bs. 5.1] the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller; He is without beginning, and He is the beginning of everyone. This definition is found in all Vedic literatures. The Lord is described as the soul, or spirit. What is the definition of spirit? Spirit is perceivable everywhere. Brahman means “great.” His greatness is perceived everywhere. And what is that greatness? Consciousness. We have personal experience of consciousness, for it is spread all over the body; in every hair follicle of our body we can feel consciousness. This is individual consciousness. Similarly, there is superconsciousness. The example can be given of a small light and the sunlight. The sunlight is perceived everywhere, even within the room or in the sky, but the small light is experienced within a specific limit. Similarly, our consciousness is perceived within the limit of our particular body, but the superconsciousness, or the existence of God, is perceived everywhere. He is present everywhere by His energy. It is stated in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa that whatever we find, anywhere and everywhere, is the distribution of the energy of the Supreme Lord. In Bhagavad-gītā also it is confirmed that the Lord is all-pervading and exists everywhere by His two kinds of energy, one spiritual and the other material. Both the spiritual and material energies are spread everywhere, and that is the proof of the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The existence of consciousness everywhere is not temporary. It is without beginning, and because it is without beginning, it is also without end. The theory that consciousness develops at a certain stage of material combination is not accepted herein, for the consciousness which exists everywhere is said to be without beginning. The materialistic or atheistic theory stating that there is no soul, that there is no God and that consciousness is the result of a combination of matter is not acceptable. Matter is not beginningless; it has a beginning. As this material body has a beginning, the universal body does also. And as our material body has begun on the basis of our soul, the entire gigantic universal body has begun on the basis of the Supreme Soul. The Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya [SB 1.1.1]. This entire material exhibition—its creation, its growth, its maintenance and its dissolution—is an emanation from the Supreme Person. In Bhagavad-gītā also, the Lord says, “I am the beginning, the source of birth of everything.” The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described here. He is not a temporary person, nor does He have a beginning. He is without a cause, and He is the cause of all causes. paraḥ means “transcendental,” “beyond the creative energy.” The Lord is the creator of the creative energy. We can see that there is a creative energy in the material world, but He is not under this energy. He is prakṛti-paraḥ, beyond this energy. He is not subjected to the threefold miseries created by the material energy because He is beyond it. The modes of material nature do not touch Him. It is explained here, svayaṁ-jyotiḥ: He is light Himself. We have experience in the material world of one light’s being a reflection of another, just as moonlight is a reflection of the sunlight. Sunlight is also the reflection of the brahmajyoti. Similarly, brahmajyoti, the spiritual effulgence, is a reflection of the body of the Supreme Lord. This is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavataḥ [Bs. 5.40]. The brahmajyoti, or Brahman effulgence, is due to His bodily luster. Therefore it is said here, svayaṁ-jyotiḥ: He Himself is light. His light is distributed in different ways, as the brahmajyoti, as sunlight and as moonlight. Bhagavad-gītā confirms that in the spiritual world there is no need of sunlight, moonlight or electricity. The Upaniṣads also confirm this; because the bodily luster of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is sufficient to illuminate the spiritual world, there is no need of sunlight, moonlight or any other light or electricity. This self-illumination also contradicts the theory that the spirit soul, or the spiritual consciousness, develops at a certain point in material combination. The term svayaṁ-jyotiḥ indicates that there is no tinge of anything material or any material reaction. It is confirmed here that the concept of the Lord’s all-pervasiveness is due to His illumination everywhere. We have experience that the sun is situated in one place, but the sunlight is diffused all around for millions and millions of miles. That is our practical experience. Similarly, although the supreme light is situated in His personal abode, Vaikuṇṭha or Vṛndāvana, His light is diffused not only in the spiritual world but beyond that. In the material world also, that light is reflected by the sun globe, and the sunlight is reflected by the moon globe. Thus although He is situated in His own abode, His light is distributed all over the spiritual and material worlds. The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.37) confirms this. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ: He is living in Goloka, but still He is present all over the creation. He is the Supersoul of everything, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He has innumerable transcendental qualities. It is also concluded that although He is undoubtedly a person, He is not a puruṣa of this material world. Māyāvādī philosophers cannot understand that beyond this material world there can be a person; therefore they are impersonalists. But it is explained very nicely here that the Personality of Godhead is beyond material existence. |
TEXT 5 Gau<aEivRic}aa" Sa*JaTaq& SaæPaa" Pa[k*-iTa& Pa[Jaa" ) ivl/aeKYa MauMauhe SaÛ" Sa wh jaNaGaUhYaa )) 5 )) guṇair vicitrāḥ sṛjatīṁ sa-rūpāḥ prakṛtiṁ prajāḥ vilokya mumuhe sadyaḥ sa iha jñāna-gūhayā SYNONYMS guṇaiḥ—by the threefold modes; vicitrāḥ—variegated; sṛjatīm—creating; sa-rūpāḥ—with forms; prakṛtim—material nature; prajāḥ—living entities; vilokya—having seen; mumuhe—was illusioned; sadyaḥ—at once; saḥ—the living entity; iha—in this world; jñāna-gūhayā—by the knowledge-covering feature. TRANSLATION Divided into varieties by her threefold modes, material nature creates the forms of the living entities, and the living entities, seeing this, are illusioned by the knowledge-covering feature of the illusory energy. PURPORT Material energy has the power to cover knowledge, but this covering cannot be applied to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is applicable only to the prajāḥ, or those who are born with material bodies, the conditioned souls. The different kinds of living entities vary according to the modes of material nature, as explained in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literature. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.12) it is very nicely explained that although the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance are born of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is not subject to them. In other words, the energy emanating from the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot act on Him; it acts on the conditioned souls, who are covered by the material energy. The Lord is the father of all living entities because He impregnates material energy with the conditioned souls. Therefore, the conditioned souls get bodies created by the material energy, whereas the father of the living entities is aloof from the three modes. It is stated in the previous verse that the material energy was accepted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order that He might exhibit pastimes for the living entities who wanted to enjoy and lord it over the material energy. This world was created through the material energy of the Lord for the so-called enjoyment of such living entities. Why this material world was created for the sufferings of the conditioned souls is a very intricate question. There is a hint in the previous verse in the word līlayā, which means “for the pastimes of the Lord.” The Lord wants to rectify the enjoying temperament of the conditioned souls. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that no one is the enjoyer but the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This material energy is created, therefore, for anyone who pretends to enjoy. An example can be cited here that there is no necessity for the government’s creation of a separate police department, but because it is a fact that some of the citizens will not accept the state laws, a department to deal with criminals is necessary. There is no necessity, but at the same time there is a necessity. Similarly, there was no necessity to create this material world for the sufferings of the conditioned souls, but at the same time there are certain living entities, known as nitya-baddha, who are eternally conditioned. We say that they have been conditioned from time immemorial because no one can trace out when the living entity, the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, became rebellious against the supremacy of the Lord. It is a fact that there are two classes of men—those who are obedient to the laws of the Supreme Lord and those who are atheists or agnostics, who do not accept the existence of God and who want to create their own laws. They want to establish that everyone can create his own laws or his own religious path. Without tracing out the beginning of the existence of these two classes, we can take it for granted that some of the living entities revolted against the laws of the Lord. Such entities are called conditioned souls, for they are conditioned by the three modes of material nature. Therefore the words guṇair vicitrāḥ are used here. In this material world there are 8,400,000 species of life. As spirit souls, they are all transcendental to this material world. Why, then, do they exhibit themselves in different stages of life? The answer is given here: they are under the spell of the three modes of material nature. Because they were created by the material energy, their bodies are made of the material elements. Covered by the material body, the spiritual identity is lost, and therefore the word mumuhe is used here, indicating that they have forgotten their own spiritual identity. This forgetfulness of spiritual identity is present in the jīvas, or souls, who are conditioned, being subject to be covered by the energy of material nature. Jñāna-gūhayā is another word used. Gūhā means “covering.” Because the knowledge of the minute conditioned souls is covered, they are exhibited in so many species of life. It is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Seventh Chapter, First Canto, “The living entities are illusioned by the material energy.” In the Vedas also it is stated that the eternal living entities are covered by different modes and that they are called tricolored—red, white and blue—living entities. Red is the representation of the mode of passion, white is the representation of the mode of goodness, and blue is the representation of the mode of ignorance. These modes of material nature belong to the material energy, and therefore the living entities under these different modes of material nature have different kinds of material bodies. Because they are forgetful of their spiritual identities, they think the material bodies to be themselves. To the conditioned soul, “me” means the material body. This is called moha, or bewilderment. It is repeatedly said in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never affected by the influence of material nature. It is, rather, the conditioned souls, or the minute infinitesimal parts and parcels of the Supreme, who are affected by the influence of material nature and who appear in different bodies under the material modes. |
TEXT 18 ANTa" PauåzæPae<a k-al/æPae<a Yaae bih" ) SaMaNveTYaez SatvaNaa& >aGavaNaaTMaMaaYaYaa )) 18 )) antaḥ puruṣa-rūpeṇa kāla-rūpeṇa yo bahiḥ samanvety eṣa sattvānāṁ bhagavān ātma-māyayā SYNONYMS antaḥ—within; puruṣa-rūpeṇa—in the form of Supersoul; kāla-rūpeṇa—in the form of time; yaḥ—He who; bahiḥ—without; samanveti—exists; eṣaḥ—He; sattvānām—of all living entities; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ātma-māyayā—by His potencies. TRANSLATION By exhibiting His potencies, the Supreme Personality of Godhead adjusts all these different elements, keeping Himself within as the Supersoul and without as time. PURPORT Here it is stated that within the heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides as the Supersoul. This situation is also explained in Bhagavad-gītā: the Supersoul rests beside the individual soul and acts as a witness. This is also confirmed elsewhere in the Vedic literature: two birds are sitting on the same tree of the body; one is witnessing, and the other is eating the fruits of the tree. This puruṣa, or Paramātmā, who resides within the body of the individual soul, is described in Bhagavad-gītā (13.23) as the upadraṣṭā, witness, and the anumantā, sanctioning authority. The conditioned soul engages in the happiness and distress of the particular body given him by the arrangement of the external energy of the Supreme Lord. But the supreme living being, or the Paramātmā, is different from the conditioned soul. He is described in Bhagavad-gītā as maheśvara, or the Supreme Lord. He is Paramātmā, not jīvātmā. Paramātmā means the Supersoul, who is sitting by the side of the conditioned soul just to sanction his activities. The conditioned soul comes to this material world in order to lord it over material nature. Since one cannot do anything without the sanction of the Supreme Lord, He lives with the jīva soul as witness and sanction-giver. He is also bhoktā; He gives maintenance and sustenance to the conditioned soul. Since the living entity is constitutionally part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord is very affectionate to the living entities. Unfortunately, when the living entity is bewildered or illusioned by the external energy, he becomes forgetful of his eternal relationship with the Lord, but as soon as he becomes aware of his constitutional position, he is liberated. The minute independence of the conditioned soul is exhibited by his marginal position. If he likes, he can forget the Supreme Personality of Godhead and come into the material existence with a false ego to lord it over material nature, but if he likes he can turn his face to the service of the Lord. The individual living entity is given that independence. His conditional life is ended and his life becomes successful as soon as he turns his face to the Lord, but by misusing his independence he enters into material existence. Yet the Lord is so kind that, as Supersoul, He always remains with the conditioned soul. The concern of the Lord is neither to enjoy nor to suffer from the material body. He remains with the jīva simply as sanction-giver and witness so that the living entity can receive the results of his activities, good or bad. Outside the body of the conditioned soul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead remains as the time factor. According to the Sāṅkhya system of philosophy, there are twenty-five elements. The twenty-four elements already described plus the time factor make twenty-five. According to some learned philosophers, the Supersoul is included to make a total of twenty-six elements. |
dEvaT+aui>aTaDaiMaR<Yaa& SvSYaa& YaaeNaaE Par" PauMaaNa( ) AaData vqYa| SaaSaUTa Mahtatv& ihr<MaYaMa( )) 19 )) daivāt kṣubhita-dharmiṇyāṁ svasyāṁ yonau paraḥ pumān ādhatta vīryaṁ sāsūta mahat-tattvaṁ hiraṇmayam SYNONYMS daivāt—by the destiny of the conditioned souls; kṣubhita—agitated; dharmiṇyām—whose equilibrium of the modes; svasyām—His own; yonau—in the womb (material nature); paraḥ pumān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ādhatta—impregnated; vīryam—semen (His internal potency); sā—she (material nature); asūta—delivered; mahat-tattvam—the sum total of cosmic intelligence; hiraṇmayam—known as Hiraṇmaya. TRANSLATION After the Supreme Personality of Godhead impregnates material nature with His internal potency, material nature delivers the sum total of the cosmic intelligence, which is known as Hiraṇmaya. This takes place in material nature when she is agitated by the destinations of the conditioned souls. PURPORT This impregnation of material nature is described in Bhagavad-gītā, Fourteenth Chapter, verse 3. Material nature’s primal factor is the mahat-tattva, or breeding source of all varieties. This part of material nature, which is called pradhāna as well as Brahman, is impregnated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and delivers varieties of living entities. Material nature in this connection is called Brahman because it is a perverted reflection of the spiritual nature. It is described in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa that the living entities belong to the spiritual nature. The potency of the Supreme Lord is spiritual, and the living entities, although they are called marginal potency, are also spiritual. If the living entities were not spiritual, this description of impregnation by the Supreme Lord would not be applicable. The Supreme Lord does not put His semen into that which is not spiritual, but it is stated here that the Supreme Person puts His semen into material nature. This means that the living entities are spiritual by nature. After impregnation, material nature delivers all kinds of living entities, beginning from the greatest living creature, Lord Brahmā, down to the insignificant ant, in all varieties of form. In Bhagavad-gītā (14.4) material nature is clearly mentioned as sarva-yoniṣu. This means that of all varieties of species—demigods, human beings, animals, birds and beasts (whatever is manifested)—material nature is the mother, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the seed-giving father. Generally it is experienced that the father gives life to the child but the mother gives its body; although the seed of life is given by the father, the body develops within the womb of the mother. Similarly, the spiritual living entities are impregnated into the womb of material nature, but the body, being supplied by material nature, takes on many different species and forms of life. The theory that the symptoms of life are manifest by the interaction of the twenty-four material elements is not supported here. The living force comes directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is completely spiritual. Therefore, no material scientific advancement can produce life. The living force comes from the spiritual world and has nothing to do with the interaction of the material elements. |
TEXT 55 ga]a<aaÜaYauri>aÛeTaaMai+a<aq c+aureTaYaae" ) TaSMaaTSaUYaaeR NYai>aÛeTaa& k-<aaOE é[ae}a& TaTaae idXa" )) 55 )) ghrāṇād vāyur abhidyetām akṣiṇī cakṣur etayoḥ tasmāt sūryo nyabhidyetāṁ karṇau śrotraṁ tato diśaḥ SYNONYMS ghrāṇāt—from the olfactory sense; vāyuḥ—the wind-god; abhidyetām—appeared; akṣiṇī—the two eyes; cakṣuḥ—the sense of sight; etayoḥ—in them; tasmāt—from that; sūryaḥ—the sun-god; nyabhidyetām—appeared; karṇau—the two ears; śrotram—the auditory sense; tataḥ—from that; diśaḥ—the deities presiding over the directions. TRANSLATION In the wake of the olfactory sense came the wind-god, who presides over that sense. Thereafter a pair of eyes appeared in the universal form, and in them the sense of sight. In the wake of this sense came the sun-god, who presides over it. Next there appeared in Him a pair of ears, and in them the auditory sense and in its wake the Dig-devatās, or the deities who preside over the directions. PURPORT The appearance of different bodily parts of the Lord’s universal form and the appearance of the presiding deities of those bodily parts is being described. As in the womb of a mother a child gradually grows different bodily parts, so in the universal womb the universal form of the Lord gives rise to the creation of various paraphernalia. The senses appear, and over each of them there is a presiding deity. It is corroborated by this statement of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and also by Brahma-saṁhitā, that the sun appeared after the appearance of the eyes of the universal form of the Lord. The sun is dependent on the eyes of the universal form. The Brahma-saṁhitā also says that the sun is the eye of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā. Savitā means “the sun.” The sun is the eye of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually, everything is created by the universal body of the Supreme Godhead. Material nature is simply the supplier of materials. The creation is actually done by the Supreme Lord, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10). Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: “Under My direction does material nature create all moving and nonmoving objects in the cosmic creation.” |
TEXT 72 TaMaiSMaNa( Pa[TYaGaaTMaaNa& iDaYaa YaaeGaPa[v*taYaa ) >a¢-ya ivr¢-ya jaNaeNa ivivCYaaTMaiNa icNTaYaeTa( )) 72 )) tam asmin pratyag-ātmānaṁ dhiyā yoga-pravṛttayā bhaktyā viraktyā jñānena vivicyātmani cintayet SYNONYMS tam—upon Him; asmin—in this; pratyak-ātmānam—the Supersoul; dhiyā—with the mind; yoga-pravṛttayā—engaged in devotional service; bhaktyā—through devotion; viraktyā—through detachment; jñānena—through spiritual knowledge; vivicya—considering carefully; ātmani—in the body; cintayet—one should contemplate. TRANSLATION Therefore, through devotion, detachment and advancement in spiritual knowledge acquired through concentrated devotional service, one should contemplate that Supersoul as present in this very body although simultaneously apart from it. PURPORT One can realize the Supersoul within oneself. He is within one’s body but apart from the body, or transcendental to the body. Although sitting in the same body as the individual soul, the Supersoul has no affection for the body, whereas the individual soul does. One has to detach himself, therefore, from this material body, by discharging devotional service. It is clearly mentioned here (bhaktyā) that one has to execute devotional service to the Supreme. As it is stated in the First Canto, Second Chapter, of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.2.7), vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ. When Vāsudeva, the all-pervading Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is served in completely pure devotion, detachment from the material world immediately begins. The purpose of Sāṅkhya is to detach oneself from material contamination. This can be achieved simply by devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one is detached from the attraction of material prosperity, one can actually concentrate his mind upon the Supersoul. As long as the mind is distracted towards the material, there is no possibility of concentrating one’s mind and intelligence upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His partial representation, Supersoul. In other words, one cannot concentrate one’s mind and energy upon the Supreme unless one is detached from the material world. Following detachment from the material world, one can actually attain transcendental knowledge of the Absolute Truth. As long as one is entangled in sense enjoyment, or material enjoyment, it is not possible to understand the Absolute Truth. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (18.54). One who is freed from material contamination is joyful and can enter into devotional service, and by devotional service he can be liberated. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, it is stated that one becomes joyful by discharging devotional service. In that joyful attitude, one can understand the science of God, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness; otherwise it is not possible. The analytical study of the elements of material nature and the concentration of the mind upon the Supersoul are the sum and substance of the Sāṅkhya philosophical system. The perfection of this sāṅkhya-yoga culminates in devotional service unto the Absolute Truth. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Twenty-sixth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Fundamental Principles of Material Nature.” |
TEXT 1 é[q>aGavaNauvac Pa[k*-iTaSQaae_iPa Pauåzae NaaJYaTae Pa[ak*-TaEGauR<aE" ) Aivk-aradk-Ta*RTvaiàGauR<aTvaÂl/akR-vTa( )) 1 )) śrī-bhagavān uvāca prakṛti-stho ’pi puruṣo nājyate prākṛtair guṇaiḥ avikārād akartṛtvān nirguṇatvāj jalārkavat SYNONYMS śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Personality of Godhead said; prakṛti-sthaḥ—residing in the material body; api—although; puruṣaḥ—the living entity; na—not; ajyate—is affected; prākṛtaiḥ—of material nature; guṇaiḥ—by the modes; avikārāt—from being without change; akartṛtvāt—by freedom from proprietorship; nirguṇatvāt—from being unaffected by the qualities of material nature; jala—on water; arkavat—like the sun. TRANSLATION The Personality of Godhead Kapila continued: When the living entity is thus unaffected by the modes of material nature, because he is unchanging and does not claim proprietorship, he remains apart from the reactions of the modes, although abiding in a material body, just as the sun remains aloof from its reflection on water. PURPORT In the previous chapter Lord Kapiladeva has concluded that simply by beginning the discharge of devotional service one can attain detachment and transcendental knowledge for understanding the science of God. Here the same principle is confirmed. A person who is detached from the modes of material nature remains just like the sun reflected on water. When the sun is reflected on water, the movement of the water or the coolness or unsteadiness of the water cannot affect the sun. Similarly, vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (Bhāg. 1.2.7): when one engages fully in the activities of devotional service, bhakti-yoga, he becomes just like the sun reflected on water. Although a devotee appears to be in the material world, actually he is in the transcendental world. As the reflection of the sun appears to be on the water but is many millions of miles away from the water, so one engaged in the bhakti-yoga process is nirguṇa, or unaffected by the qualities of material nature. Avikāra means “without change.” It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that each and every living entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, and thus his eternal position is to cooperate or to dovetail his energy with the Supreme Lord. That is his unchanging position. As soon as he employs his energy and activities for sense gratification, this change of position is called vikāra. Similarly, even in this material body, when he practices devotional service under the direction of the spiritual master, he comes to the position which is without change because that is his natural duty. As stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, liberation means reinstatement in one’s original position. The original position is one of rendering service to the Lord (bhakti-yogena, bhaktyā). When one becomes detached from material attraction and engages fully in devotional service, that is changlessness. Akartṛtvāt means not doing anything for sense gratification. When one does something at his own risk, there is a sense of proprietorship and therefore a reaction, but when one does everything for Kṛṣṇa, there is no proprietorship over the activities. By changlessness and by not claiming the proprietorship of activities, one can immediately situate himself in the transcendental position in which one is not touched by the modes of material nature, just as the reflection of the sun is unaffected by the water. |
TEXT 4 AQaeR ùivÛMaaNae_iPa Sa&Sa*iTaNaR iNavTaRTae ) DYaaYaTaae ivzYaaNaSYa SvPane_NaQaaRGaMaae YaQaa )) 4 )) arthe hy avidyamāne ’pi saṁsṛtir na nivartate dhyāyato viṣayān asya svapne ’narthāgamo yathā SYNONYMS arthe—real cause; hi—certainly; avidyamāne—not existing; api—although; saṁsṛtiḥ—the material existential condition; na—not; nivartate—does cease; dhyāyataḥ—contemplating; viṣayān—objects of the senses; asya—of the living entity; svapne—in a dream; anartha—of disadvantages; āgamaḥ—arrival; yathā—like. TRANSLATION Actually a living entity is transcendental to material existence, but because of his mentality of lording it over material nature, his material existential condition does not cease, and just as in a dream, he is affected by all sorts of disadvantages. PURPORT The example of a dream is very appropriate. Due to different mental conditions, in dreams we are put into advantageous and disadvantageous positions. Similarly, the spirit soul has nothing to do with this material nature, but because of his mentality of lording it over, he is put into the position of conditional existence. Conditional existence is described here as dhyāyato viṣayān asya. Viṣaya means “an object of enjoyment.” As long as one continues to think that he can enjoy material advantages, he is in conditioned life, but as soon as he comes to his senses, he develops the knowledge that he is not the enjoyer, for the only enjoyer is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29), He is the beneficiary for all the results of sacrifices and penances (bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām), and He is the proprietor of all the three worlds (sarva-loka-maheśvaram). He is the actual friend of all living entities. But instead of leaving proprietorship, enjoyment and the actual position as the friend of all living entities to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we claim that we are the proprietors, the enjoyers and the friends. We perform philanthropic work, thinking that we are the friends of human society. Someone may proclaim himself to be a very good national worker, the best friend of the people and of the country, but actually he cannot be the greatest friend of everyone. The only friend is Kṛṣṇa. One should try to raise the consciousness of the conditioned soul to the platform of understanding that Kṛṣṇa is his actual friend. If one makes friendship with Kṛṣṇa, one will never be cheated, and he will get all help needed. Arousing this consciousness of the conditioned soul is the greatest service, not posing oneself as a great friend of another living entity. The power of friendship is limited. Although one claims to be a friend, he cannot be a friend unlimitedly. There are an unlimited number of living entities, and our resources are limited; therefore we cannot be of any real benefit to the people in general. The best service to the people in general is to awaken them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that they may know that the supreme enjoyer, the supreme proprietor and the supreme friend is Kṛṣṇa. Then this illusory dream of lording it over material nature will vanish. |
YaMaaidi>aYaaeRGaPaQaEr>YaSaHa( é[ÖYaaiNvTa" ) MaiYa >aaveNa SaTYaeNa MaTk-Qaaé[v<aeNa c )) 6 )) yamādibhir yoga-pathair abhyasañ śraddhayānvitaḥ mayi bhāvena satyena mat-kathā-śravaṇena ca SYNONYMS yama-ādibhiḥ—beginning with yama; yoga-pathaiḥ—by the yoga system; abhyasan—practicing; śraddhayā anvitaḥ—with great faith; mayi—unto Me; bhāvena—with devotion; satyena—unalloyed; mat-kathā—stories about Me; śravaṇena—by hearing; ca—and. TRANSLATION One has to become faithful by practicing the controlling process of the yoga system and must elevate himself to the platform of unalloyed devotional service by chanting and hearing about Me. PURPORT Yoga is practiced in eight different stages: yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi. Yama and niyama mean practicing the controlling process by following strict regulations, and āsana refers to the sitting postures. These help raise one to the standard of faithfulness in devotional service. The practice of yoga by physical exercise is not the ultimate goal; the real end is to concentrate and to control the mind and train oneself to be situated in faithful devotional service. Bhāvena, or bhāva, is a very important factor in the practice of yoga or in any spiritual process. Bhāva is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (10.8). Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ: one should be absorbed in the thought of love of Kṛṣṇa. When one knows that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the source of everything and that everything emanates from Him (ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ), then one understands the Vedānta aphorism janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1] (“the original source of everything”), and then he can become absorbed in bhāva, or the preliminary stage of love of Godhead. Rūpa Gosvāmī explains very nicely in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu how this bhāva, or preliminary stage of love of God, is achieved. He states that one first of all has to become faithful (śraddhayānvitaḥ). Faith is attained by controlling the senses, either by yoga practice, following the rules and regulations and practicing the sitting postures, or by engaging directly in bhakti-yoga, as recommended in the previous verse. Of the nine different items of bhakti-yoga, the first and foremost is to chant and hear about the Lord. That is also mentioned here. Mat-kathā-śravaṇena ca. One may come to the standard of faithfulness by following the rules and regulations of the yoga system, and the same goal can be achieved simply by chanting and hearing about the transcendental activities of the Lord. The word ca is significant. Bhakti-yoga is direct, and the other process is indirect. But even if the indirect process is taken, there is no success unless one comes fully to the direct process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord. Therefore the word satyena is used here. In this connection Svāmī Śrīdhara comments that satyena means niṣkapaṭena, “without duplicity.” The impersonalists are full of duplicity. Sometimes they pretend to execute devotional service, but their ultimate idea is to become one with the Supreme. This is duplicity, kapaṭa. The Bhāgavatam does not allow this duplicity. In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is clearly stated, paramo nirmatsarāṇām: “This treatise Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for those who are completely free from envy.” The same point is again stressed here. Unless one is completely faithful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engages himself in the process of hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord, there is no possibility for liberation. |
TEXT 19 Ak-TauR" k-MaRbNDaae_Ya& PauåzSYa Yadaé[Ya" ) Gau<aezu SaTSau Pa[k*-Tae" kE-vLYa& TaeZvTa" k-QaMa( )) 19 )) akartuḥ karma-bandho ’yaṁ puruṣasya yad-āśrayaḥ guṇeṣu satsu prakṛteḥ kaivalyaṁ teṣv ataḥ katham SYNONYMS akartuḥ—of the passive performer, the nondoer; karma-bandhaḥ—bondage to fruitive activities; ayam—this; puruṣasya—of the soul; yat-āśrayaḥ—caused by attachment to the modes; guṇeṣu—while the modes; satsu—are existing; prakṛteḥ—of material nature; kaivalyam—freedom; teṣu—those; ataḥ—hence; katham—how. TRANSLATION Hence even though he is the passive performer of all activities, how can there be freedom for the soul as long as material nature acts on him and binds him? PURPORT Although the living entity desires freedom from the contamination of matter, he is not given release. Actually, as soon as a living entity puts himself under the control of the modes of material nature, his acts are influenced by the qualities of material nature, and he becomes passive. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ: the living entity acts according to the qualities or modes of material nature. He falsely thinks that he is acting, but unfortunately he is passive. In other words, he has no opportunity to get out of the control of material nature because it has already conditioned him. In Bhagavad-gītā it is also stated that it is very difficult to get out of the clutches of material nature. One may try in different ways to think that everything is void in the ultimate issue, that there is no God and that even if the background of everything is spirit, it is impersonal. This speculation may go on, but actually it is very difficult to get out of the clutches of material nature. Devahūti poses the question that although one may speculate in many ways, where is liberation as long as one is under the spell of material nature? The answer is also found in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14): only one who has surrendered himself unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa (mām eva ye prapadyante) can be freed from the clutches of māyā. Since Devahūti is gradually coming to the point of surrender, her questions are very intelligent. How can one be liberated? How can one be in a pure state of spiritual existence as long as he is strongly held by the modes of material nature? This is also an indication to the false meditator. There are many so-called meditators who think, “I am the Supreme Spirit Soul. I am conducting the activities of material nature. Under my direction the sun is moving and the moon is rising.” They think that by such contemplation or meditation they can become free, but it is seen that just three minutes after finishing such nonsensical meditation, they are immediately captured by the modes of material nature. Immediately after his high-sounding meditation, a “meditator” becomes thirsty and wants to smoke or drink. He is under the strong grip of material nature, yet he thinks that he is already free from the clutches of māyā. This question of Devahūti’s is for such a person who falsely claims that he is everything, that ultimately everything is void, and that there are no sinful or pious activities. These are all atheistic inventions. Actually, unless a living entity surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead as instructed in Bhagavad-gītā, there is no liberation or freedom from the clutches of māyā. |
TEXT 20 KvicTa( TatvavMaXaeRNa iNav*ta& >aYaMauLb<aMa( ) AiNav*taiNaiMataTvaTPauNa" Pa[TYaviTaïTae )) 20 )) kvacit tattvāvamarśena nivṛttaṁ bhayam ulbaṇam anivṛtta-nimittatvāt punaḥ pratyavatiṣṭhate SYNONYMS kvacit—in a certain case; tattva—the fundamental principles; avamarśena—by reflecting upon; nivṛttam—avoided; bhayam—fear; ulbaṇam—great; anivṛtta—not ceased; nimittatvāt—since the cause; punaḥ—again; pratyavatiṣṭhate—it appears. TRANSLATION Even if the great fear of bondage is avoided by mental speculation and inquiry into the fundamental principles, it may still appear again, since its cause has not ceased. PURPORT Material bondage is caused by putting oneself under the control of matter because of the false ego of lording it over material nature. Bhagavad-gītā (7.27) states, icchā-dveṣa-samutthena. Two kinds of propensities arise in the living entity. One propensity is icchā, which means desire to lord it over material nature or to be as great as the Supreme Lord. Everyone desires to be the greatest personality in this material world. Dveṣa means “envy.” When one becomes envious of Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one thinks, “Why should Kṛṣṇa be the all and all? I’m as good as Kṛṣṇa.” These two items, desire to be the Lord and envy of the Lord, are the beginning cause of material bondage. As long as a philosopher, salvationist or voidist has some desire to be supreme, to be everything, or to deny the existence of God, the cause remains, and there is no question of his liberation. Devahūti very intelligently says, “One may theoretically analyze and say that by knowledge he has become freed, but actually, as long as the cause exists, he is not free.” Bhagavad-gītā confirms that after performing such speculative activities for many, many births, when one actually comes to his real consciousness and surrenders unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, then the fulfillment of his research in knowledge is actually achieved. There is a gulf of difference between theoretical freedom and actual freedom from material bondage. The Bhāgavatam (10.14.4) says that if one gives up the auspicious path of devotional service and simply tries to know things by speculation, one wastes his valuable time (kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye). The result of such a labor of love is simply labor; there is no other result. The labor of speculation is ended only by exhaustion. The example is given that there is no benefit in husking the skin of an empty paddy; the rice is already gone. Similarly, simply by the speculative process one cannot be freed from material bondage, for the cause still exists. One has to nullify the cause, and then the effect will be nullified. This is explained by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the following verses. |
TEXT 21 é[q>aGavaNauvac AiNaiMataiNaiMataeNa SvDaMaeR<aaMal/aTMaNaa ) Taqv]Yaa MaiYa >a¢-ya c é[uTaSaM>a*TaYaa icrMa( )) 21 )) śrī-bhagavān uvāca animitta-nimittena sva-dharmeṇāmalātmanā tīvrayā mayi bhaktyā ca śruta-sambhṛtayā ciram SYNONYMS śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; animitta-nimittena—without desiring the fruits of activities; sva-dharmeṇa—by executing one’s prescribed duties; amala-ātmanā—with a pure mind; tīvrayā—serious; mayi—unto Me; bhaktyā—by devotional service; ca—and; śruta—hearing; sambhṛtayā—endowed with; ciram—for a long time. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: One can get liberation by seriously discharging devotional service unto Me and thereby hearing for a long time about Me or from Me. By thus executing one’s prescribed duties, there will be no reaction, and one will be freed from the contamination of matter. PURPORT Śrīdhara Svāmī comments in this connection that by association with material nature alone one does not become conditioned. Conditional life begins only after one is infected by the modes of material nature. If someone is in contact with the police department, that does not mean that he is a criminal. As long as one does not commit criminal acts, even though there is a police department, he is not punished. Similarly, the liberated soul is not affected, although he is in the material nature. Even the Supreme Personality of Godhead is supposed to be in association with material nature when He descends, but He is not affected. One has to act in such a way that in spite of being in the material nature he is not affected by contamination. Although the lotus flower is in association with water, it does not mix with the water. That is how one has to live, as described here by the Personality of Godhead Kapiladeva (animitta-nimittena sva-dharmeṇāmalātmanā). One can be liberated from all adverse circumstances simply by seriously engaging in devotional service. How this devotional service develops and becomes mature is explained here. In the beginning one has to perform his prescribed duties with a clean mind. Clean consciousness means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One has to perform his prescribed duties in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no necessity of changing one’s prescribed duties; one simply has to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In discharging Kṛṣṇa conscious duties, one should determine whether, by his professional or occupational duties, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is satisfied. In another place in the Bhāgavatam it is said, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam: [SB 1.2.13] everyone has some prescribed duties to perform, but the perfection of such duties will be reached only if the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is satisfied by such actions. For example, Arjuna’s prescribed duty was to fight, and the perfection of his fighting was tested by the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted him to fight, and when he fought for the satisfaction of the Lord, that was the perfection of his professional devotional duty. On the other hand, when, contrary to the wish of Kṛṣṇa, he was not willing to fight, that was imperfect. If one wants to perfect his life, he should discharge his prescribed duties for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. One must act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for such action will never produce any reaction (animitta-nimittena). This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra: all activities should be performed simply for Yajña, or the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. Anything done otherwise, without the satisfaction of Viṣṇu, or Yajña, produces bondage, so here it is also prescribed by Kapila Muni that one can transcend material entanglement by acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which means seriously engaging in devotional service. This serious devotional service can develop by hearing for long periods of time. Chanting and hearing is the beginning of the process of devotional service. One should associate with devotees and hear from them about the Lord’s transcendental appearance, activities, disappearance, instructions, etc. There are two kinds of śruti, or scripture. One is spoken by the Lord, and the other is spoken about the Lord and His devotees. Bhagavad-gītā is the former and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the latter. One must hear these scriptures repeatedly from reliable sources in order to become fixed in serious devotional service. Through engagement in such devotional service, one becomes freed from the contamination of māyā. It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that hearing about the Supreme Personality of Godhead cleanses the heart of all contamination caused by the influence of the three modes of material nature. By continuous, regular hearing, the effects of the contamination of lust and greed to enjoy or lord it over material nature diminish, and when lust and greed diminish, one then becomes situated in the mode of goodness. This is the stage of Brahman realization, or spiritual realization. In this way one becomes fixed on the transcendental platform. Remaining fixed on the transcendental platform is liberation from material entanglement. |
MaÙ¢-" Pa[iTabuÖaQaaeR MaTPa[SaadeNa >aUYaSaa ) iNa"é[eYaSa& SvSa&SQaaNa& kE-vLYaa:Ya& Madaé[YaMa( )) 28 )) Pa[aPanaeTaqhaÅSaa Daqr" Svd*XaaiC^àSa&XaYa" ) YaÓTva Na iNavTaeRTa YaaeGaq il/(r)aiÜiNaGaRMae )) 29 )) mad-bhaktaḥ pratibuddhārtho mat-prasādena bhūyasā niḥśreyasaṁ sva-saṁsthānaṁ kaivalyākhyaṁ mad-āśrayam prāpnotīhāñjasā dhīraḥ sva-dṛśā cchinna-saṁśayaḥ yad gatvā na nivarteta yogī liṅgād vinirgame SYNONYMS mat-bhaktaḥ—My devotee; pratibuddha-arthaḥ—self-realized; mat-prasādena—by My causeless mercy; bhūyasā—unlimited; niḥśreyasam—the ultimate perfectional goal; sva-saṁsthānam—his abode; kaivalya-ākhyam—called kaivalya; mat-āśrayam—under My protection; prāpnoti—attains; iha—in this life; añjasā—truly; dhīraḥ—steady; sva-dṛśā—by knowledge of the self; chinna-saṁśayaḥ—freed from doubts; yat—to that abode; gatvā—having gone; na—never; nivarteta—comes back; yogī—the mystic devotee; liṅgāt—from the subtle and gross material bodies; vinirgame—after departing. TRANSLATION My devotee actually becomes self-realized by My unlimited causeless mercy, and thus, when freed from all doubts, he steadily progresses towards his destined abode, which is directly under the protection of My spiritual energy of unadulterated bliss. That is the ultimate perfectional goal of the living entity. After giving up the present material body, the mystic devotee goes to that transcendental abode and never comes back. PURPORT Actual self-realization means becoming a pure devotee of the Lord. The existence of a devotee implies the function of devotion and the object of devotion. Self-realization ultimately means to understand the Personality of Godhead and the living entities; to know the individual self and the reciprocal exchanges of loving service between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity is real self-realization. This cannot be attained by the impersonalists or other transcendentalists; they cannot understand the science of devotional service. Devotional service is revealed to the pure devotee by the unlimited causeless mercy of the Lord. This is especially spoken of here by the Lord—mat-prasādena, “by My special grace.” This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Only those who engage in devotional service with love and faith receive the necessary intelligence from the Supreme Personality of Godhead so that gradually and progressively they can advance to the abode of the Personality of Godhead. Niḥśreyasa means “the ultimate destination.” Sva-saṁsthāna indicates that the impersonalists have no particular place to stay. The impersonalists sacrifice their individuality so that the living spark can merge into the impersonal effulgence emanating from the transcendental body of the Lord, but the devotee has a specific abode. The planets rest in the sunshine, but the sunshine itself has no particular resting place. When one reaches a particular planet, then he has a resting place. The spiritual sky, which is known as kaivalya, is simply blissful light on all sides, and it is under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (14.27), brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham: the impersonal Brahman effulgence rests on the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In other words, the bodily effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is kaivalya, or impersonal Brahman. In that impersonal effulgence there are spiritual planets, which are known as Vaikuṇṭhas, chief of which is Kṛṣṇaloka. Some devotees are elevated to the Vaikuṇṭha planets, and some are elevated to the planet Kṛṣṇaloka. According to the desire of the particular devotee, he is offered a particular abode, which is known as sva-saṁsthāna, his desired destination. By the grace of the Lord, the self-realized devotee engaged in devotional service understands his destination even while in the material body. He therefore performs his devotional activities steadily, without doubting, and after quitting his material body he at once reaches the destination for which he has prepared himself. After reaching that abode, he never comes back to this material world. The words liṅgād vinirgame, which are used here, mean “after being freed from the two kinds of material bodies, subtle and gross.” The subtle body is made of mind, intelligence, false ego and contaminated consciousness, and the gross body is made of five elements—earth, water, fire, air and ether. When one is transferred to the spiritual world, he gives up both the subtle and gross bodies of this material world. He enters the spiritual sky in his pure, spiritual body and is stationed in one of the spiritual planets. Although the impersonalists also reach that spiritual sky after giving up the subtle and gross material bodies, they are not placed in the spiritual planets; as they desire, they are allowed to merge in the spiritual effulgence emanating from the transcendental body of the Lord. The word sva-saṁsthānam is also very significant. As a living entity prepares himself, so he attains his abode. The impersonal Brahman effulgence is offered to the impersonalists, but those who want to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His transcendental form as Nārāyaṇa in the Vaikuṇṭhas, or with Kṛṣṇa in Kṛṣṇaloka, go to those abodes, wherefrom they never return. |
TEXT 9 Pa[a<aSYa XaaeDaYaeNMaaGa| PaUrku-M>ak-reckE-" ) Pa[iTakU-le/Na va icta& YaQaa iSQarMacÄl/Ma( )) 9 )) prāṇasya śodhayen mārgaṁ pūra-kumbhaka-recakaiḥ pratikūlena vā cittaṁ yathā sthiram acañcalam SYNONYMS prāṇasya—of vital air; śodhayet—one should clear; mārgam—the passage; pūra-kumbhaka-recakaiḥ—by inhaling, retaining and exhaling; pratikūlena—by reversing; vā—or; cittam—the mind; yathā—so that; sthiram—steady; acañcalam—free from disturbances. TRANSLATION The yogī should clear the passage of vital air by breathing in the following manner: first he should inhale very deeply, then hold the breath in, and finally exhale. Or, reversing the process, the yogi can first exhale, then hold the breath outside, and finally inhale. This is done so that the mind may become steady and free from external disturbances. PURPORT These breathing exercises are performed to control the mind and fix it on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ: the devotee Ambarīṣa Mahārāja fixed his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day. The process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and to hear the sound attentively so that the mind is fixed upon the transcendental vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s name, which is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa the personality. The real purpose of controlling the mind by the prescribed method of clearing the passage of the life air is achieved immediately if one fixes his mind directly on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. The haṭha-yoga system, or breathing system, is especially recommended for those who are very absorbed in the concept of bodily existence, but one who can perform the simple process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa can fix the mind more easily. Three different activities are recommended for clearing the passage of breath: pūraka, kumbhaka and recaka. Inhaling the breath is called pūraka, sustaining it within is called kumbhaka, and finally exhaling it is called recaka. These recommended processes can also be performed in the reverse order. After exhaling, one can keep the air outside for some time and then inhale. The nerves through which inhalation and exhalation are conducted are technically called iḍā and piṅgalā. The ultimate purpose of clearing the iḍā and piṅgalā passages is to divert the mind from material enjoyment. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, one’s mind is his enemy, and one’s mind is also his friend; its position varies according to the different dealings of the living entity. If we divert our mind to thoughts of material enjoyment, then our mind becomes an enemy, and if we concentrate our mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then our mind is a friend. By the yoga system of pūraka, kumbhaka and recaka or by directly fixing the mind on the sound vibration of Kṛṣṇa or on the form of Kṛṣṇa, the same purpose is achieved. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that one must practice the breathing exercise (abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena [Bg. 8.8]). by virtue of these processes of control, the mind cannot wander to external thoughts (cetasā nānya-gāminā). Thus one can fix his mind constantly on the Supreme Personality of Godhead and can attain (yāti) Him. Practicing the yoga system of exercise and breath control is very difficult for a person in this age, and therefore Lord Caitanya recommended, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ: [Cc. adi 17.31] one should always chant the holy name of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is the most suitable name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The name Kṛṣṇa and the Supreme Person Kṛṣṇa are nondifferent. Therefore, if one concentrates his mind on hearing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, the same result is achieved. |
MaNaae_icraTSYaaiÜrJa& iJaTaìaSaSYa YaaeiGaNa" ) vaYviGan>Yaa& YaQaa l/aeh& DMaaTa& TYaJaiTa vE Mal/Ma( )) 10 )) mano ’cirāt syād virajaṁ jita-śvāsasya yoginaḥ vāyv-agnibhyāṁ yathā lohaṁ dhmātaṁ tyajati vai malam SYNONYMS manaḥ—the mind; acirāt—soon; syāt—can be; virajam—free from disturbances; jita-śvāsasya—whose breathing is controlled; yoginaḥ—of the yogī; vāyu-agnibhyām—by air and fire; yathā—just as; loham—gold; dhmātam—fanned; tyajati—becomes freed from; vai—certainly; malam—impurity. TRANSLATION The yogīs who practice such breathing exercises are very soon freed from all mental disturbances, just as gold, when put into fire and fanned with air, becomes free from all impurities. PURPORT This process of purifying the mind is also recommended by Lord Caitanya; He says that one should chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. He says further, paraṁ vijayate: “All glories to Śrī Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana!” All glories are given to the chanting of the holy names of Kṛṣṇa because as soon as one begins this process of chanting, the mind becomes purified. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam: [Cc. Antya 20.12] by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa one is cleansed of the dirt that accumulates in the mind. One can purify the mind either by the breathing process or by the chanting process, just as one can purify gold by putting it in a fire and fanning it with a bellows. |
TEXT 11 Pa[a<aaYaaMaEdRheÕaezaNDaar<aai>aê ik-iLbzaNa( ) Pa[TYaahare<a Sa&SaGaaRNDYaaNaeNaaNaqìraNa( Gau<aaNa( )) 11 )) prāṇāyāmair dahed doṣān dhāraṇābhiś ca kilbiṣān pratyāhāreṇa saṁsargān dhyānenānīśvarān guṇān SYNONYMS prāṇāyāmaiḥ—by practice of prāṇāyāma; dahet—one can eradicate; doṣān—contaminations; dhāraṇābhiḥ—by concentrating the mind; ca—and; kilbiṣān—sinful activities; pratyāhāreṇa—by restraining the senses; saṁsargān—material association; dhyānena—by meditating; anīśvarān guṇān—the modes of material nature. TRANSLATION By practicing the process of prāṇāyāma, one can eradicate the contamination of his physiological condition, and by concentrating the mind one can become free from all sinful activities. By restraining the senses one can free himself from material association, and by meditating on the Supreme Personality of Godhead one can become free from the three modes of material attachment. PURPORT According to Āyur-vedic medical science the three items kapha, pitta and vāyu (phlegm, bile and air) maintain the physiological condition of the body. Modern medical science does not accept this physiological analysis as valid, but the ancient Āyur-vedic process of treatment is based upon these items. Āyur-vedic treatment concerns itself with the cause of these three elements, which are mentioned in many places in the Bhāgavatam as the basic conditions of the body. Here it is recommended that by practicing the breathing process of prāṇāyāma one can be released from contamination created by the principal physiological elements, by concentrating the mind one can become free from sinful activities, and by withdrawing the senses one can free himself from material association. Ultimately, one has to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead in order to be elevated to the transcendental position where he is no longer affected by the three modes of material nature. It is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that one who engages himself in unalloyed devotional service at once becomes transcendental to the three modes of material nature and immediately realizes his identification with Brahman. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. For every item in the yoga system there is a parallel activity in bhakti-yoga, but the practice of bhakti-yoga is easier for this age. What was introduced by Lord Caitanya is not a new interpretation. Bhakti-yoga is a feasible process that begins with chanting and hearing. Bhakti-yoga and other yogas have as their ultimate goal the same Personality of Godhead, but one is practical, and the others are difficult. One has to purify his physiological condition by concentration and by restraint of the senses; then he can fix his mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is called samādhi. |
YaC^aEciNa"Sa*TaSairTPa[vraedke-Na TaqQaeRNa MaUDNYaRiDak*-TaeNa iXav" iXavae_>aUTa( ) DYaaTauMaRNa"XaMal/XaEl/iNaSa*ívJa]& DYaaYaeiÀr& >aGavTaêr<aarivNdMa( )) 22 )) yac-chauca-niḥsṛta-sarit-pravarodakena tīrthena mūrdhny adhikṛtena śivaḥ śivo ’bhūt dhyātur manaḥ-śamala-śaila-nisṛṣṭa-vajraṁ dhyāyec ciraṁ bhagavataś caraṇāravindam SYNONYMS yat—the Lord’s lotus feet; śauca—washing; niḥsṛta—gone forth; sarit-pravara—of the Ganges; udakena—by the water; tīrthena—holy; mūrdhni—on his head; adhikṛtena—borne; śivaḥ—Lord Śiva; śivaḥ—auspicious; abhūt—became; dhyātuḥ—of the meditator; manaḥ—in the mind; śamala-śaila—the mountain of sin; nisṛṣṭa—hurled; vajram—thunderbolt; dhyāyet—one should meditate; ciram—for a long time; bhagavataḥ—of the Lord; caraṇa-aravindam—on the lotus feet. TRANSLATION The blessed Lord Śiva becomes all the more blessed by bearing on his head the holy waters of the Ganges, which has its source in the water that washed the Lord’s lotus feet. The Lord’s feet act like thunderbolts hurled to shatter the mountain of sin stored in the mind of the meditating devotee. One should therefore meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for a long time. PURPORT In this verse the position of Lord Śiva is specifically mentioned. The impersonalist suggests that the Absolute Truth has no form and that one can therefore equally imagine the form of Viṣṇu or Lord Śiva or the goddess Durgā or their son Gaṇeśa. But actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the supreme master of everyone. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi 5.142) it is said, ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, ara saba bhṛtya: the Supreme Lord is Kṛṣṇa, and everyone else, including Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā—not to mention other demigods—is a servant of Kṛṣṇa. The same principle is described here. Lord Śiva is important because he is holding on his head the holy Ganges water, which has its origin in the foot-wash of Lord Viṣṇu. In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, by Sanātana Gosvāmī, it is said that anyone who puts the Supreme Lord and the demigods, including Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, on the same level, at once becomes a pāṣaṇḍī, or atheist. We should never consider that the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu and the demigods are on an equal footing. Another significant point of this verse is that the mind of the conditioned soul, on account of its association with the material energy from time immemorial, contains heaps of dirt in the form of desires to lord it over material nature. This dirt is like a mountain, but a mountain can be shattered when hit by a thunderbolt. Meditating on the lotus feet of the Lord acts like a thunderbolt on the mountain of dirt in the mind of the yogī. If a yogī wants to shatter the mountain of dirt in his mind, he should concentrate on the lotus feet of the Lord and not imagine something void or impersonal. Because the dirt has accumulated like a solid mountain, one must meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for quite a long time. For one who is accustomed to thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord constantly, however, it is a different matter. The devotees are so fixed on the lotus feet of the Lord that they do not think of anything else. Those who practice the yoga system must meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord for a long time after following the regulative principles and thereby controlling the senses. It is specifically mentioned here, bhagavataś caraṇāravindam: one has to think of the lotus feet of the Lord. The Māyāvādīs imagine that one can think of the lotus feet of Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā or the goddess Durgā to achieve liberation, but this is not so. Bhagavataḥ is specifically mentioned. Bhagavataḥ means “of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu,” and no one else. Another significant phrase in this verse is śivaḥ śivo ’bhūt. By his constitutional position, Lord Śiva is always great and auspicious, but since he has accepted on his head the Ganges water, which emanated from the lotus feet of the Lord, he has become even more auspicious and important. The stress is on the lotus feet of the Lord. A relationship with the lotus feet of the Lord can even enhance the importance of Lord Śiva, what to speak of other, ordinary living entities. |
SvYaaeiNazu YaQaa JYaaeiTarek&- NaaNaa Pa[TaqYaTae ) YaaeNaqNaa& Gau<avEzMYaataQaaTMaa Pa[k*-TaaE iSQaTa" )) 43 )) sva-yoniṣu yathā jyotir ekaṁ nānā pratīyate yonīnāṁ guṇa-vaiṣamyāt tathātmā prakṛtau sthitaḥ SYNONYMS sva-yoniṣu—in forms of wood; yathā—as; jyotiḥ—fire; ekam—one; nānā—differently; pratīyate—is exhibited; yonīnām—of different wombs; guṇa-vaiṣamyāt—from the different conditions of the modes; tathā—so; ātmā—the spirit soul; prakṛtau—in the material nature; sthitaḥ—situated. TRANSLATION As fire is exhibited in different forms of wood, so, under different conditions of the modes of material nature, the pure spirit soul manifests itself in different bodies. PURPORT It is to be understood that the body is designated. Prakṛti is an interaction by the three modes of material nature, and according to these modes, someone has a small body, and someone has a very large body. For example, the fire in a big piece of wood appears very big, and in a stick the fire appears small. Actually, the quality of fire is the same everywhere, but the manifestation of material nature is such that according to the fuel, the fire appears bigger and smaller. Similarly, the soul in the universal body, although of the same quality, is different from the soul in the smaller body. The small particles of soul are just like sparks of the larger soul. The greatest soul is the Supersoul, but the Supersoul is quantitatively different from the small soul. The Supersoul is described in the Vedic literature as the supplier of all necessities of the smaller soul (nityo nityānām). One who understands this distinction between the Supersoul and the individual soul is above lamentation and is in a peaceful position. When the smaller soul thinks himself quantitatively as big as the larger soul, he is under the spell of māyā, for that is not his constitutional position. No one can become the greater soul simply by mental speculation. The smallness or greatness of different souls is described in the Varāha Purāṇa as svāṁśa-vibhinnāṁśa. The svāṁśa soul is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the vibhinnāṁśa souls, or small particles, are eternally small particles, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ [Bg. 15.7]). The small living entities are eternally part and parcel, and therefore it is not possible for them to be quantitatively as great as the Supersoul. |
TEXT 44 TaSMaaidMaa& Sva& Pa[k*-iTa& dEvq& SadSadaiTMak-aMa( ) duivR>aaVYaa& Para>aaVYa SvæPae<aaviTaïTae )) 44 )) tasmād imāṁ svāṁ prakṛtiṁ daivīṁ sad-asad-ātmikām durvibhāvyāṁ parābhāvya svarūpeṇāvatiṣṭhate SYNONYMS tasmāt—thus; imām—this; svām—own; prakṛtim—material energy; daivīm—divine; sat-asat-ātmikām—consisting of cause and effect; durvibhāvyām—difficult to understand; parābhāvya—after conquering; sva-rūpeṇa—in the self-realized position; avatiṣṭhate—he remains. TRANSLATION Thus the yogī can be in the self-realized position after conquering the insurmountable spell of māyā, who presents herself as both the cause and effect of this material manifestation and is therefore very difficult to understand. PURPORT It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that the spell of māyā, which covers the knowledge of the living entity, is insurmountable. However, one who surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can conquer this seemingly insurmountable spell of māyā. Here also it is stated that the daivī prakṛti, or the external energy of the Supreme Lord, is durvibhāvyā, very difficult to understand and very difficult to conquer. One must, however, conquer this insurmountable spell of māyā, and this is possible, by the grace of the Lord, when God reveals Himself to the surrendered soul. It is also stated here, svarūpeṇāvatiṣṭhate. Svarūpa means that one has to know that he is not the Supreme Soul, but rather, part and parcel of the Supreme Soul; that is self-realization. To think falsely that one is the Supreme Soul and that one is all-pervading is not svarūpa. This is not realization of his actual position. The real position is that one is part and parcel. It is recommended here that one remain in that position of actual self-realization. In Bhagavad-gītā this understanding is defined as Brahman realization. After Brahman realization, one can engage in the activities of Brahman. As long as one is not self-realized, he engages in activities based on false identification with the body. When one is situated in his real self, then the activities of Brahman realization begin. The Māyāvādī philosophers say that after Brahman realization, all activities stop, but that is not actually so. If the soul is so active in its abnormal condition, existing under the covering of matter, how can one deny its activity when free? An example may be cited here. If a man in a diseased condition is very active, how can one imagine that when he is free from the disease he will be inactive? Naturally the conclusion is that when one is free from all disease his activities are pure. It may be said that the activities of Brahman realization are different from those of conditional life, but that does not stop activity. This is indicated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.54): after one realizes oneself to be Brahman, devotional service begins. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām: [Bg. 18.54] after Brahman realization, one can engage in the devotional service of the Lord. Therefore devotional service of the Lord is activity in Brahman realization. For those who engage in devotional service there is no spell of māyā, and their situation is all-perfect. The duty of the living entity, as a part and parcel of the whole, is to render devotional service to the whole. That is the ultimate perfection of life. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Twenty-eighth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Lord Kapila’s Instructions on the Execution of Devotional Service.” |
TEXT 7 é[q>aGavaNauvac >ai¢-YaaeGaae bhuivDaae MaaGaOE>aaRiMaiNa >aaVYaTae ) Sv>aavGau<aMaaGaeR<a Pau&Saa& >aavae ivi>aÛTae )) 7 )) śrī-bhagavān uvāca bhakti-yogo bahu-vidho mārgair bhāmini bhāvyate svabhāva-guṇa-mārgeṇa puṁsāṁ bhāvo vibhidyate SYNONYMS śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Personality of Godhead replied; bhakti-yogaḥ—devotional service; bahu-vidhaḥ—multifarious; mārgaiḥ—with paths; bhāmini—O noble lady; bhāvyate—is manifest; svabhāva—nature; guṇa—qualities; mārgeṇa—in terms of behavior; puṁsām—of the executors; bhāvaḥ—the appearance; vibhidyate—is divided. TRANSLATION Lord Kapila, the Personality of Godhead, replied: O noble lady, there are multifarious paths of devotional service in terms of the different qualities of the executor. PURPORT Pure devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is one because in pure devotional service there is no demand from the devotee to be fulfilled by the Lord. But generally people take to devotional service with a purpose. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, people who are not purified take to devotional service with four purposes. A person who is distressed because of material conditions becomes a devotee of the Lord and approaches the Lord for mitigation of his distress. A person in need of money approaches the Lord to ask for some improvement in his monetary condition. Others, who are not in distress or in need of monetary assistance but are seeking knowledge in order to understand the Absolute Truth, also take to devotional service, and they inquire into the nature of the Supreme Lord. This is very nicely described in Bhagavad-gītā (7.16). Actually the path of devotional service is one without a second, but according to the devotees’ condition, devotional service appears in multifarious varieties, as will be nicely explained in the following verses. |
TEXT 10 k-MaRiNahaRrMauiÕXYa PariSMaNa( va TadPaR<aMa( ) YaJaeÛíVYaiMaiTa va Pa*QaG>aav" Sa Saaitvk-" )) 10 )) karma-nirhāram uddiśya parasmin vā tad-arpaṇam yajed yaṣṭavyam iti vā pṛthag-bhāvaḥ sa sāttvikaḥ SYNONYMS karma—fruitive activities; nirhāram—freeing himself from; uddiśya—with the purpose of; parasmin—to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vā—or; tat-arpaṇam—offering the result of activities; yajet—may worship; yaṣṭavyam—to be worshiped; iti—thus; vā—or; pṛthak-bhāvaḥ—separatist; saḥ—he; sāttvikaḥ—in the mode of goodness. TRANSLATION When a devotee worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offers the results of his activities in order to free himself from the inebrieties of fruitive activities, his devotion is in the mode of goodness. PURPORT The brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras, along with the brahmacārīs, gṛhasthas, vānaprasthas and sannyāsīs, are the members of the eight divisions of varṇas and āśramas, and they have their respective duties to perform for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When such activities are performed and the results are offered to the Supreme Lord, they are called karmārpaṇam, duties performed for the satisfaction of the Lord. If there is any inebriety or fault, it is atoned for by this offering process. But if this offering process is in the mode of goodness rather than in pure devotion, then the interest is different. The four āśramas and the four varṇas act for some benefit in accordance with their personal interests. Therefore such activities are in the mode of goodness; they cannot be counted in the category of pure devotion. Pure devotional service as described by Rūpa Gosvāmī is free from all material desires. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Madhya 19.167]. There can be no excuse for personal or material interest. Devotional activities should be transcendental to fruitive activities and empiric philosophical speculation. Pure devotional service is transcendental to all material qualities. Devotional service in the modes of ignorance, passion and goodness can be divided into eighty-one categories. There are different devotional activities, such as hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, offering prayer, rendering service and surrendering everything, and each of them can be divided into three qualitative categories. There is hearing in the mode of passion, in the mode of ignorance and in the mode of goodness. Similarly, there is chanting in the mode of ignorance, passion and goodness, etc. Three multiplied by nine equals twenty-seven, and when again multiplied by three it becomes eighty-one. One has to transcend all such mixed materialistic devotional service in order to reach the standard of pure devotional service, as explained in the next verses. |
Mad(Gau<aé[uiTaMaa}ae<a MaiYa SavRGauhaXaYae ) MaNaaeGaiTariviC^àa YaQaa Ga(r)aM>aSaae_MbuDaaE )) 11 )) l/+a<a& >ai¢-YaaeGaSYa iNaGauR<aSYa ùudaôTaMa( ) AhETauKYaVYavihTaa Yaa >ai¢-" PauåzaetaMae )) 12 )) mad-guṇa-śruti-mātreṇa mayi sarva-guhāśaye mano-gatir avicchinnā yathā gaṅgāmbhaso ’mbudhau lakṣaṇaṁ bhakti-yogasya nirguṇasya hy udāhṛtam ahaituky avyavahitā yā bhaktiḥ puruṣottame SYNONYMS mat—of Me; guṇa—qualities; śruti—by hearing; mātreṇa—just; mayi—towards Me; sarva-guhā-āśaye—residing in everyone’s heart; manaḥ-gatiḥ—the heart’s course; avicchinnā—continuous; yathā—as; gaṅgā—of the Ganges; ambhasaḥ—of the water; ambudhau—towards the ocean; lakṣaṇam—the manifestation; bhakti-yogasya—of devotional service; nirguṇasya—unadulterated; hi—indeed; udāhṛtam—exhibited; ahaitukī—causeless; avyavahitā—not separated; yā—which; bhaktiḥ—devotional service; puruṣa-uttame—towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead. TRANSLATION The manifestation of unadulterated devotional service is exhibited when one’s mind is at once attracted to hearing the transcendental name and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is residing in everyone’s heart. Just as the water of the Ganges flows naturally down towards the ocean, such devotional ecstasy, uninterrupted by any material condition, flows towards the Supreme Lord. PURPORT The basic principle of this unadulterated, pure devotional service is love of Godhead. Mad-guṇa-śruti-mātreṇa means “just after hearing about the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” These qualities are called nirguṇa. The Supreme Lord is uncontaminated by the modes of material nature; therefore He is attractive to the pure devotee. There is no need to practice meditation to attain such attraction; the pure devotee is already in the transcendental stage, and the affinity between him and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is natural and is compared to the Ganges water flowing towards the sea. The flow of the Ganges water cannot be stopped by any condition; similarly, a pure devotee’s attraction for the transcendental name, form and pastimes of the Supreme Godhead cannot be stopped by any material condition. The word avicchinnā, “without interruptions,” is very important in this connection. No material condition can stop the flow of the devotional service of a pure devotee. The word ahaitukī means “without reason.” A pure devotee does not render loving service to the Personality of Godhead for any cause or for any benefit, material or spiritual. This is the first symptom of unalloyed devotion. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam: [Madhya 19.167] he has no desire to fulfill by rendering devotional service. Such devotional service is meant for the puruṣottama, the Supreme Personality, and not for anyone else. Sometimes pseudodevotees show devotion to many demigods, thinking the forms of the demigods to be the same as the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s form. It is specifically mentioned herein, however, that bhakti, devotional service, is meant only for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, not for anyone else. Avyavahitā means “without cessation.” A pure devotee must engage in the service of the Lord twenty-four hours a day, without cessation; his life is so molded that at every minute and every second he engages in some sort of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Another meaning of the word avyavahitā is that the interest of the devotee and the interest of the Supreme Lord are on the same level. The devotee has no interest but to fulfill the transcendental desire of the Supreme Lord. Such spontaneous service unto the Supreme Lord is transcendental and is never contaminated by the material modes of nature. These are the symptoms of pure devotional service, which is free from all contamination of material nature. |
TEXT 14 Sa Wv >ai¢-YaaeGaa:Ya AaTYaiNTak- odaôTa" ) YaeNaaiTav]JYa i}aGau<a& MaÙavaYaaePaPaÛTae )) 14 )) sa eva bhakti-yogākhya ātyantika udāhṛtaḥ yenātivrajya tri-guṇaṁ mad-bhāvāyopapadyate SYNONYMS saḥ—this; eva—indeed; bhakti-yoga—devotional service; ākhyaḥ—called; ātyantikaḥ—the highest platform; udāhṛtaḥ—explained; yena—by which; ativrajya—overcoming; tri-guṇam—the three modes of material nature; mat-bhāvāya—to My transcendental stage; upapadyate—one attains. TRANSLATION By attaining the highest platform of devotional service, as I have explained, one can overcome the influence of the three modes of material nature and be situated in the transcendental stage, as is the Lord. PURPORT Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, who is supposed to be the leader of the impersonalist school of philosophers, has admitted in the beginning of his comments on Bhagavad-gītā that Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond the material creation; except for Him, everything is within the material creation. It is also confirmed in the Vedic literature that before the creation there was only Nārāyaṇa; neither Lord Brahmā nor Lord Śiva existed. Only Nārāyaṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, is always in the transcendental position, beyond the influence of material creation. The material qualities of goodness, passion and ignorance cannot affect the position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore He is called nirguṇa (free from all tinges of material qualities). Here the same fact is confirmed by Lord Kapila: one who is situated in pure devotional service is transcendentally situated, as is the Lord. Just as the Lord is unaffected by the influence of the material modes, so too are His pure devotees. One who is not affected by the three modes of material nature is called a liberated soul, or brahma-bhūta soul. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg. 18.54] is the stage of liberation. : “I am not this body.” This is applicable only to the person who constantly engages in the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa and is thus in the transcendental stage; he is above the influence of the three modes of material nature. It is the misconception of the impersonalists that one can worship any imaginary form of the Lord, or Brahman, and at the end merge in the Brahman effulgence. Of course, to merge into the bodily effulgence (Brahman) of the Supreme Lord is also liberation, as explained in the previous verse. Ekatva is also liberation, but that sort of liberation is never accepted by any devotee, for qualitative oneness is immediately attained as soon as one is situated in devotional service. For a devotee, that qualitative equality, which is the result of impersonal liberation, is already attained; he does not have to try for it separately. It is clearly stated here that simply by pure devotional service one becomes qualitatively as good as the Lord Himself. |
YaQaa vaTarQaae ga]a<aMaav*»e GaNDa AaXaYaaTa( ) Wv& YaaeGarTa& ceTa AaTMaaNaMaivk-air YaTa( )) 20 )) yathā vāta-ratho ghrāṇam āvṛṅkte gandha āśayāt evaṁ yoga-rataṁ ceta ātmānam avikāri yat SYNONYMS yathā—as; vāta—of air; rathaḥ—the chariot; ghrāṇam—sense of smell; āvṛṅkte—catches; gandhaḥ—aroma; āśayāt—from the source; evam—similarly; yoga-ratam—engaged in devotional service; cetaḥ—consciousness; ātmānam—the Supreme Soul; avikāri—unchanging; yat—which. TRANSLATION As the chariot of air carries an aroma from its source and immediately catches the sense of smell, similarly, one who constantly engages in devotional service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, can catch the Supreme Soul, who is equally present everywhere. PURPORT As a breeze carrying a pleasant fragrance from a garden of flowers at once captures the organ of smell, so one’s consciousness, saturated with devotion, can at once capture the transcendental existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who, in His Paramātmā feature, is present everywhere, even in the heart of every living being. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is kṣetra jña, present within this body, but He is also simultaneously present in every other body. Since the individual soul is present only in a particular body, he is altered when another individual soul does not cooperate with him. The Supersoul, however, is equally present everywhere. Individual souls may disagree, but the Supersoul, being equally present in every body, is called unchanging, or avikāri. The individual soul, when fully saturated with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, can understand the presence of the Supersoul. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [Bg. 18.55]) a person saturated with devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, either as Supersoul or as the Supreme Person. |
TEXT 36 WTaÙGavTaae æPa& b]ø<a" ParMaaTMaNa" ) Par& Pa[DaaNa& Pauåz& dEv& k-MaRivceiíTaMa( )) 36 )) etad bhagavato rūpaṁ brahmaṇaḥ paramātmanaḥ paraṁ pradhānaṁ puruṣaṁ daivaṁ karma-viceṣṭitam SYNONYMS etat—this; bhagavataḥ—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rūpam—form; brahmaṇaḥ—of Brahman; parama-ātmanaḥ—of Paramātmā; param—transcendental; pradhānam—chief; puruṣam—personality; daivam—spiritual; karma-viceṣṭitam—whose activities. TRANSLATION This puruṣa whom the individual soul must approach is the eternal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Brahman and Paramātmā. He is the transcendental chief personality, and His activities are all spiritual. PURPORT In order to distinguish the personality whom the individual soul must approach, it is described herein that this puruṣa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the chief amongst all living entities and is the ultimate form of the impersonal Brahman effulgence and Paramātmā manifestation. Since He is the origin of the Brahman effulgence and Paramātmā manifestation, He is described herewith as the chief personality. It is confirmed in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad, nityo nityānām: there are many eternal living entities, but He is the chief maintainer. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā also, where Lord Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: “I am the origin of everything, including the Brahman effulgence and Paramātmā manifestation.” His activities are transcendental, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Janma karma ca me divyam: [Bg. 4.9] the activities and the appearance and disappearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are transcendental; they are not to be considered material. Anyone who knows this fact—that the appearance, disappearance and activities of the Lord are beyond material activities or material conception—is liberated. Yo vetti tattvataḥ/ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma: [Bg. 4.9] such a person, after quitting his body, does not come back again to this material world, but goes to the Supreme Person. It is confirmed here, puruṣaḥ puruṣaṁ vrajet: the living entity goes to the Supreme Personality simply by understanding His transcendental nature and activities. |
Yaae_NTa" Pa[ivXYa >aUTaaiNa >aUTaErtYai%l/aé[Ya" ) Sa ivZ<va:Yaae_iDaYajae_SaaE k-al/" k-l/YaTaa& Pa[>au" )) 38 )) yo ’ntaḥ praviśya bhūtāni bhūtair atty akhilāśrayaḥ sa viṣṇv-ākhyo ’dhiyajño ’sau kālaḥ kalayatāṁ prabhuḥ SYNONYMS yaḥ—He who; antaḥ—within; praviśya—entering; bhūtāni—living entities; bhūtaiḥ—by living entities; atti—annihilates; akhila—of everyone; āśrayaḥ—the support; saḥ—He; viṣṇu—Viṣṇu; ākhyaḥ—named; adhiyajñaḥ—the enjoyer of all sacrifices; asau—that; kālaḥ—time factor; kalayatām—of all masters; prabhuḥ—the master. TRANSLATION Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the enjoyer of all sacrifices, is the time factor and the master of all masters. He enters everyone’s heart, He is the support of everyone, and He causes every being to be annihilated by another. PURPORT Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is clearly described in this passage. He is the supreme enjoyer, and all others are working as His servants. As stated in the Caitanya caritāmṛta (Ādi 5.14), ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa: the only Supreme Lord is Viṣṇu. Āra saba bhṛtya: all others are His servants. Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and other demigods are all servants. The same Viṣṇu enters everyone’s heart as Paramātmā, and He causes the annihilation of every being through another being. |
TEXT 40 YaÙYaaÜaiTa vaTaae_Ya& SaUYaRSTaPaiTa YaÙYaaTa( ) YaÙYaaÜzRTae devae >aGa<aae >aaiTa YaÙYaaTa( )) 40 )) yad-bhayād vāti vāto ’yaṁ sūryas tapati yad-bhayāt yad-bhayād varṣate devo bha-gaṇo bhāti yad-bhayāt SYNONYMS yat—of whom (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); bhayāt—out of fear; vāti—blows; vātaḥ—the wind; ayam—this; sūryaḥ—sun; tapati—shines; yat—of whom; bhayāt—out of fear; yat—of whom; bhayāt—out of fear; varṣate—sends rains; devaḥ—the god of rain; bha-gaṇaḥ—the host of heavenly bodies; bhāti—shine; yat—of whom; bhayāt—out of fear. TRANSLATION Out of fear of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the wind blows, out of fear of Him the sun shines, out of fear of Him the rain pours forth showers, and out of fear of Him the host of heavenly bodies shed their luster. PURPORT The Lord states in Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate: [Bg. 9.10] “Nature is working under My direction.” The foolish person thinks that nature is working automatically, but such an atheistic theory is not supported in the Vedic literature. Nature is working under the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, and we also find here that the sun shines under the direction of the Lord, and the cloud pours forth showers of rain under the direction of the Lord. All natural phenomena are under superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. |
TEXT 21 TaYaaeiNaRi>aRàôdYaSTaJaRNaEJaaRTavePaQau" ) PaiQa ìi>a>aR+YaMaa<a AaTaaeR_ga& SvMaNauSMarNa( )) 21 )) tayor nirbhinna-hṛdayas tarjanair jāta-vepathuḥ pathi śvabhir bhakṣyamāṇa ārto ’ghaṁ svam anusmaran SYNONYMS tayoḥ—of the Yamadūtas; nirbhinna—broken; hṛdayaḥ—his heart; tarjanaiḥ—by the threatening; jāta—arisen; vepathuḥ—trembling; pathi—on the road; śvabhiḥ—by dogs; bhakṣyamāṇaḥ—being bitten; ārtaḥ—distressed; agham—sins; svam—his; anusmaran—remembering. TRANSLATION While carried by the constables of Yamarāja, he is overwhelmed and trembles in their hands. While passing on the road he is bitten by dogs, and he can remember the sinful activities of his life. He is thus terribly distressed. PURPORT It appears from this verse that while passing from this planet to the planet of Yamarāja, the culprit arrested by Yamarāja’s constables meets many dogs, which bark and bite just to remind him of his criminal activities of sense gratification. It is said in Bhagavad-gītā that one becomes almost blind and is bereft of all sense when he is infuriated by the desire for sense gratification. He forgets everything. Kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ [Bg. 7.20]. One is bereft of all intelligence when he is too attracted by sense gratification, and he forgets that he has to suffer the consequences also. Here the chance for recounting his activities of sense gratification is given by the dogs engaged by Yamarāja. While we live in the gross body, such activities of sense gratification are encouraged even by modern government regulations. In every state all over the world, such activities are encouraged by the government in the form of birth control. Women are supplied pills, and they are allowed to go to a clinical laboratory to get assistance for abortions. This is going on as a result of sense gratification. Actually sex life is meant for begetting a good child, but because people have no control over the senses and there is no institution to train them to control the senses, the poor fellows fall victim to the criminal offenses of sense gratification, and they are punished after death as described in these pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. |
JaNTauåvac TaSYaaePaSaàMaivTau& JaGaidC^Yaata‚ NaaNaaTaNaae>auRiv cl/Àr<aarivNdMa( ) Saae_h& v]JaaiMa Xar<a& ùku-Taae>aYa& Mae YaeNaed*Xaq GaiTardXYaRSaTaae_NauæPaa )) 12 )) jantur uvāca tasyopasannam avituṁ jagad icchayātta- nānā-tanor bhuvi calac-caraṇāravindam so ’haṁ vrajāmi śaraṇaṁ hy akuto-bhayaṁ me yenedṛśī gatir adarśy asato’nurūpā SYNONYMS jantuḥ uvāca—the human soul says; tasya—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; upasannam—having approached for protection; avitum—to protect; jagat—the universe; icchayā—by His own will; ātta-nānā-tanoḥ—who accepts various forms; bhuvi—on the earth; calat—walking; caraṇa-aravindam—the lotus feet; saḥ aham—I myself; vrajāmi—go; śaraṇam—unto the shelter; hi—indeed; akutaḥ-bhayam—giving relief from all fear; me—for me; yena—by whom; īdṛśī—such; gatiḥ—condition of life; adarśi—was considered; asataḥ—impious; anurūpā—befitting. TRANSLATION The human soul says: I take shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears in His various eternal forms and walks on the surface of the world. I take shelter of Him only, because He can give me relief from all fear and from Him I have received this condition of life, which is just befitting my impious activities. PURPORT The word calac-caraṇāravindam refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who actually walks or travels upon the surface of the world. For example, Lord Rāmacandra actually walked on the surface of the world, and Lord Kṛṣṇa also walked just like an ordinary man. The prayer is therefore offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who descends to the surface of this earth, or any part of this universe, for the protection of the pious and the destruction of the impious. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā that when there is an increase of irreligion and discrepancies arise in the real religious activities, the Supreme Lord comes to protect the pious and kill the impious. This verse indicates Lord Kṛṣṇa. Another significant point in this verse is that the Lord comes, icchayā, by His own will. As Kṛṣṇa confirms in Bhagavad-gītā, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā: [Bg. 4.6] “I appear at My will, by My internal potential power.” He is not forced to come by the laws of material nature. It is stated here, icchayā: He does not assume any form, as the impersonalists think, because He comes at His own will, and the form in which He descends is His eternal form. As the Supreme Lord puts the living entity into the condition of horrible existence, He can also deliver him, and therefore one should seek shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa demands, “Give up everything and surrender unto Me.” And it is also said in Bhagavad-gītā that anyone who approaches Him does not come back again to accept a form in material existence, but goes back to Godhead, back home, never to return. |
jaNa& YadeTaddDaaTk-TaMa" Sa dev‚ S}aEk-ail/k&- iSQarcreZvNauviTaRTaa&Xa" ) Ta& Jaqvk-MaRPadvqMaNauvTaRMaaNaa‚ STaaPa}aYaaePaXaMaNaaYa vYa& >aJaeMa )) 16 )) jñānaṁ yad etad adadhāt katamaḥ sa devas trai-kālikaṁ sthira-careṣv anuvartitāṁśaḥ taṁ jīva-karma-padavīm anuvartamānās tāpa-trayopaśamanāya vayaṁ bhajema SYNONYMS jñānam—knowledge; yat—which; etat—this; adadhāt—gave; katamaḥ—who other than; saḥ—that; devaḥ—the Personality of Godhead; trai-kālikam—of the three phases of time; sthira-careṣu—in the inanimate and animate objects; anuvartita—dwelling; aṁśaḥ—His partial representation; tam—unto Him; jīva—of the jīva souls; karma-padavīm—the path of fruitive activities; anuvartamānāḥ—who are pursuing; tāpa-traya—from the threefold miseries; upaśamanāya—for getting free; vayam—we; bhajema—must surrender. TRANSLATION No one other than the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as the localized Paramātmā, the partial representation of the Lord, is directing all inanimate and animate objects. He is present in the three phases of time—past, present and future. Therefore, the conditioned soul is engaged in different activities by His direction, and in order to get free from the threefold miseries of this conditional life, we have to surrender unto Him only. PURPORT When a conditioned soul is seriously anxious to get out of the influence of the material clutches, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated within him as Paramātmā, gives him this knowledge: “Surrender unto Me.” As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā, “Give up all other engagements. Just surrender unto Me.” It is to be accepted that the source of knowledge is the Supreme Person. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca [Bg. 15.15]. The Lord says, “Through Me one gets real knowledge and memory, and one also forgets through Me.” To one who wants to be materially satisfied or who wants to lord it over material nature, the Lord gives the opportunity to forget His service and engage in the so-called happiness of material activities. Similarly, when one is frustrated in lording it over material nature and is very serious about getting out of this material entanglement, the Lord, from within, gives him the knowledge that he has to surrender unto Him; then there is liberation. This knowledge cannot be imparted by anyone other than the Supreme Lord or His representative. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta Lord Caitanya instructs Rūpa Gosvāmī that the living entities wander in life after life, undergoing the miserable conditions of material existence. But when one is very anxious to get free from the material entanglement, he gets enlightenment through a spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa. This means that Kṛṣṇa as the Supersoul is seated within the heart of the living entity, and when the living entity is serious, the Lord directs him to take shelter of His representative, a bona fide spiritual master. Directed from within and guided externally by the spiritual master, one attains the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is the way out of the material clutches. Therefore there is no possibility of one’s being situated in his own position unless he is blessed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unless he is enlightened with the supreme knowledge, one has to undergo the severe penalties of the hard struggle for existence in the material nature. The spiritual master is therefore the mercy manifestation of the Supreme Person. The conditioned soul has to take direct instruction from the spiritual master, and thus he gradually becomes enlightened to the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The seed of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sown within the heart of the conditioned soul, and when one hears instruction from the spiritual master, the seed fructifies, and one’s life is blessed. |
PaXYaTYaYa& iDaz<aYaa NaNau SaáviDa]" Xaarqrke- dMaXarqYaRPar" Svdehe ) YaTSa*íYaaSa& TaMah& Pauåz& Paura<a& PaXYae bihôRid c cETYaiMav Pa[TaqTaMa( )) 19 )) paśyaty ayaṁ dhiṣaṇayā nanu sapta-vadhriḥ śārīrake dama-śarīry aparaḥ sva-dehe yat-sṛṣṭayāsaṁ tam ahaṁ puruṣaṁ purāṇaṁ paśye bahir hṛdi ca caityam iva pratītam SYNONYMS paśyati—sees; ayam—this living entity; dhiṣaṇayā—with intelligence; nanu—only; sapta-vadhriḥ—bound by the seven layers of material coverings; śārīrake—agreeable and disagreeable sense perceptions; dama-śarīrī—having a body for self-control; aparaḥ—another; sva-dehe—in his body; yat—by the Supreme Lord; sṛṣṭayā—endowed; āsam—was; tam—Him; aham—I; puruṣam—person; purāṇam—oldest; paśye—see; bahiḥ—outside; hṛdi—in the heart; ca—and; caityam—the source of the ego; iva—indeed; pratītam—recognized. TRANSLATION The living entity in another type of body sees only by instinct; he knows only the agreeable and disagreeable sense perceptions of that particular body. But I have a body in which I can control my senses and can understand my destination; therefore, I offer my respectful obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whom I have been blessed with this body and by whose grace I can see Him within and without. PURPORT The evolutionary process of different types of bodies is something like that of a fructifying flower. Just as there are different stages in the growth of a flower—the bud stage, the blooming stage and the full species of bodies in gradual evolution, and there is systematic progress from the lower species of life to the higher. The human form of life is supposed to be the highest, for it offers consciousness for getting out of the clutches of birth and death. The fortunate child in the womb of his mother realizes his superior position and is thereby distinguished from other bodies. Animals in bodies lower than that of the human being are conscious only as far as their bodily distress and happiness are concerned; they cannot think of more than their bodily necessities of life—eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But in the human form of life, by the grace of God, the consciousness is so developed that a man can evaluate his exceptional position and thus realize the self and the Supreme Lord. The word dama-śarīrī means that we have a body in which we can control the senses and the mind. The complication of materialistic life is due to an uncontrolled mind and uncontrolled senses. One should feel grateful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead for having obtained such a nice human form of body, and one should properly utilize it. The distinction between an animal and a man is that the animal cannot control himself and has no sense of decency, whereas the human being has the sense of decency and can control himself. If this controlling power is not exhibited by the human being, then he is no better than an animal. By controlling the senses, or by the process of yoga regulation, one can understand the position of his self, the Supersoul, the world and their interrelation; everything is possible by controlling the senses. Otherwise, we are no better than animals. Real self-realization by means of controlling the senses is explained herein. One should try to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead and one’s own self also. To think oneself the same as the Supreme is not self-realization. Here it is clearly explained that the Supreme Lord is anādi, or purāṇa, and He has no other cause. The living entity is born of the Supreme Godhead as part and parcel. It is confirmed in the Brahma-saṁhitā, anādir ādir govindaḥ: [Bs. 5.1] Govinda, the Supreme person, has no cause. He is unborn. But the living entity is born of Him. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, mamaivāṁśaḥ: both the living entity and the Supreme Lord are unborn, but it has to be understood that the supreme cause of the part and parcel is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahma-saṁhitā therefore says that everything has come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead (sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam [Bs. 5.1]). The Vedānta-sūtra confirms this also. Janmādy asya yataḥ: [SB 1.1.1] the Absolute Truth is the original source of everyone’s birth. Kṛṣṇa also says in Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: “I am the source of birth of everything, including Brahmā and Lord Śiva and the living entities.” This is self-realization. One should know that he is under the control of the Supreme Lord and not think that he is fully independent. Otherwise, why should he be put into conditional life? |
TEXT 20 Saae_h& vSaàiPa iv>aae bhudu"%vaSa& Ga>aaRà iNaiJaRGaiMaze bihrNDakU-Pae ) Ya}aaePaYaaTaMauPaSaPaRiTa devMaaYaa iMaQYaaMaiTaYaRdNau Sa&Sa*iTac§-MaeTaTa( )) 20 )) so ’haṁ vasann api vibho bahu-duḥkha-vāsaṁ garbhān na nirjigamiṣe bahir andha-kūpe yatropayātam upasarpati deva-māyā mithyā matir yad-anu saṁsṛti-cakram etat SYNONYMS saḥ aham—I myself; vasan—living; api—although; vibho—O Lord; bahu-duḥkha—with many miseries; vāsam—in a condition; garbhāt—from the abdomen; na—not; nirjigamiṣe—I wish to depart; bahiḥ—outside; andha-kūpe—in the blind well; yatra—where; upayātam—one who goes there; upasarpati—she captures; deva-māyā—the external energy of the Lord; mithyā—false; matiḥ—identification; yat—which māyā; anu—according to; saṁsṛti—of continual birth and death; cakram—cycle; etat—this. TRANSLATION Therefore, my Lord, although I am living in a terrible condition, I do not wish to depart from my mother’s abdomen to fall again into the blind well of materialistic life. Your external energy, called deva-māyā, at once captures the newly born child, and immediately false identification, which is the beginning of the cycle of continual birth and death, begins. PURPORT As long as the child is within the womb of his mother, he is in a very precarious and horrible condition of life, but the benefit is that he revives pure consciousness of his relationship with the Supreme Lord and prays for deliverance. But once he is outside the abdomen, when a child is born, māyā, or the illusory energy, is so strong that he is immediately overpowered into considering his body to be his self. Māyā means “illusion,” or that which is actually not. In the material world, everyone is identifying with his body. This false egoistic consciousness of “I am this body” at once develops after the child comes out of the womb. The mother and other relatives are awaiting the child, and as soon as he is born, the mother feeds him, and everyone takes care of him. The living entity soon forgets his position and becomes entangled in bodily relationships. The entire material existence is entanglement in this bodily conception of life. Real knowledge means to develop the consciousness of “I am not this body. I am spirit soul, an eternal part and parcel of the Supreme Lord.” Real knowledge entails renunciation, or nonacceptance of this body as the self. By the influence of māyā, the external energy, one forgets everything just after birth. Therefore the child is praying that he prefers to remain within the womb rather than come out. It is said that Śukadeva Gosvāmī, on this consideration, remained for sixteen years within the womb of his mother; he did not want to be entangled in false bodily identification. After cultivating such knowledge within the womb of his mother, he came out at the end of sixteen years and immediately left home so that he might not be captured by the influence of māyā. The influence of māyā is also explained in Bhagavad-gītā as insurmountable. But insurmountable māyā can be overcome simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14): mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Whoever surrenders unto the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa can get out of this false conception of life. By the influence of māyā only, one forgets his eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa and identifies himself with his body and the by-products of the body—namely wife, children, society, friendship and love. Thus he becomes a victim of the influence of māyā, and his materialistic life of continued birth and death becomes still more stringent. |
TEXT 38 bl&/ Mae PaXYa MaaYaaYaa" ñqMaYYaa JaiYaNaae idXaaMa( ) Yaa k-raeiTa Pada§-aNTaaNa( >a]UivJa*M>ae<a ke-vl/Ma( )) 38 )) balaṁ me paśya māyāyāḥ strī-mayyā jayino diśām yā karoti padākrāntān bhrūvi-jṛmbheṇa kevalam SYNONYMS balam—the strength; me—My; paśya—behold; māyāyāḥ—of māyā; strī-mayyāḥ—in the shape of a woman; jayinaḥ—conquerors; diśām—of all directions; yā—who; karoti—makes; pada-ākrāntān—following at her heels; bhrūvi—of her eyebrows; jṛmbheṇa—by the movement; kevalam—merely. TRANSLATION Just try to understand the mighty strength of My māyā in the shape of woman, who by the mere movement of her eyebrows can keep even the greatest conquerors of the world under her grip. PURPORT There are many instances in the history of the world of a great conqueror’s being captivated by the charms of a Cleopatra. One has to study the captivating potency of woman, and man’s attraction for that potency. From what source was this generated? According to Vedānta-sūtra, we can understand that everything is generated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is enunciated there, janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. This means that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or the Supreme Person, Brahman, the Absolute Truth, is the source from whom everything emanates. The captivating power of woman, and man’s susceptibility to such attraction, must also exist in the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the spiritual world and must be represented in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. The Lord is the Supreme Person, the supreme male. As a common male wants to be attracted by a female, that propensity similarly exists in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also wants to be attracted by the beautiful features of a woman. Now the question is, if He wants to be captivated by such womanly attraction, would He be attracted by any material woman? It is not possible. Even persons who are in this material existence can give up womanly attraction if they are attracted by the Supreme Brahman. Such was the case with Haridāsa Ṭhākura. A beautiful prostitute tried to attract him in the dead of night, but since he was situated in devotional service, in transcendental love of Godhead, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not captivated. Rather, he turned the prostitute into a great devotee by his transcendental association. This material attraction, therefore, certainly cannot attract the Supreme Lord. When He wants to be attracted by a woman, He has to create such a woman from His own energy. That woman is Rādhārāṇī. It is explained by the Gosvāmīs that Rādhārāṇī is the manifestation of the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When the Supreme Lord wants to derive transcendental pleasure, He has to create a woman from His internal potency. Thus the tendency to be attracted by womanly beauty is natural because it exists in the spiritual world. In the material world it is reflected pervertedly, and therefore there are so many inebrieties. Instead of being attracted by material beauty, if one is accustomed to be attracted by the beauty of Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa, then the statement of Bhagavad-gītā, paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate, holds true. When one is attracted by the transcendental beauty of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, he is no longer attracted by material feminine beauty. That is the special significance of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa worship. That is testified to by Yāmunācārya. He says, “Since I have become attracted by the beauty of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, when there is attraction for a woman or a memory of sex life with a woman, I at once spit on it, and my face turns in disgust.” When we are attracted by Madana-mohana and the beauty of Kṛṣṇa and His consorts, then the shackles of conditioned life, namely the beauty of a material woman, cannot attract us. |
TEXT 44 Jaqvae ùSYaaNauGaae dehae >aUTaeiNd]YaMaNaaeMaYa" ) TaiàraeDaae_SYa Mar<aMaaiv>aaRvSTau SaM>av" )) 44 )) jīvo hy asyānugo deho bhūtendriya-mano-mayaḥ tan-nirodho ’sya maraṇam āvirbhāvas tu sambhavaḥ SYNONYMS jīvaḥ—the living entity; hi—indeed; asya—of him; anugaḥ—suitable; dehaḥ—body; bhūta—gross material elements; indriya—senses; manaḥ—mind; mayaḥ—made of; tat—of the body; nirodhaḥ—destruction; asya—of the living entity; maraṇam—death; āvirbhāvaḥ—manifestation; tu—but; sambhavaḥ—birth. TRANSLATION In this way the living entity gets a suitable body with a material mind and senses, according to his fruitive activities. When the reaction of his particular activity comes to an end, that end is called death, and when a particular type of reaction begins, that beginning is called birth. PURPORT From time immemorial, the living entity travels in the different species of life and the different planets, almost perpetually. This process is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā: [Bg. 18.61] under the spell of māyā, everyone is wandering throughout the universe on the carriage of the body offered by the material energy. Materialistic life involves a series of actions and reactions. It is a long film spool of actions and reactions, and one life-span is just a flash in such a reactionary show. When a child is born, it is to be understood that his particular type of body is the beginning of another set of activities, and when an old man dies, it is to be understood that one set of reactionary activities is finished. We can see that because of different reactionary activities, one man is born in a rich family, and another is born in a poor family, although both of them are born in the same place, at the same moment and in the same atmosphere. One who is carrying pious activity with him is given a chance to take his birth in a rich or pious family, and one who is carrying impious activity is given a chance to take birth in a lower, poor family. The change of body means a change to a different field of activities. Similarly, when the body of the boy changes into that of a youth, the boyish activities change into youthful activities. It is clear that a particular body is given to the living entity for a particular type of activity. This process is going on perpetually, from a time which is impossible to trace out. Vaiṣṇava poets say, therefore, anādi karama-phale, which means that these actions and reactions of one’s activity cannot be traced, for they may even continue from the last millennium of Brahmā’s birth to the next millennium. We have seen the example in the life of Nārada Muni. In one millennium he was the son of a maidservant, and in the next millennium he became a great sage. |
TEXTS 45–46 d]VYaaePal/iBDaSQaaNaSYa d]VYae+aaYaaeGYaTaa Yada ) TaTPaÄTvMah&MaaNaaduTPaitad]RVYadXaRNaMa( )) 45 )) YaQaa+<aaed]RVYaavYavdXaRNaaYaaeGYaTaa Yada ) TadEv c+auzae d]íud]Rí*TvaYaaeGYaTaaNaYaae" )) 46 )) dravyopalabdhi-sthānasya dravyekṣāyogyatā yadā tat pañcatvam ahaṁ-mānād utpattir dravya-darśanam yathākṣṇor dravyāvayava- darśanāyogyatā yadā tadaiva cakṣuṣo draṣṭur draṣṭṛtvāyogyatānayoḥ SYNONYMS dravya—of objects; upalabdhi—of perception; sthānasya—of the place; dravya—of objects; īkṣā—of perception; ayogyatā—incapability; yadā—when; tat—that; pañcatvam—death; aham-mānāt—from the misconception of “I”; utpattiḥ—birth; dravya—the physical body; darśanam—viewing; yathā—just as; akṣṇoḥ—of the eyes; dravya—of objects; avayava—parts; darśana—of seeing; ayogyatā—incapability; yadā—when; tadā—then; eva—indeed; cakṣuṣaḥ—of the sense of sight; draṣṭuḥ—of the seer; draṣṭṛtva—of the faculty of seeing; ayogyatā—incapability; anayoḥ—of both of these. TRANSLATION When the eyes lose their power to see color or form due to morbid affliction of the optic nerve, the sense of sight becomes deadened. The living entity, who is the seer of both the eyes and the sight, loses his power of vision. In the same way, when the physical body, the place where perception of objects occurs, is rendered incapable of perceiving, that is known as death. When one begins to view the physical body as one’s very self, that is called birth. PURPORT When one says, “I see,” this means that he sees with his eyes or with his spectacles; he sees with the instrument of sight. If the instrument of sight is broken or becomes diseased or incapable of acting, then he, as the seer, also ceases to act. Similarly, in this material body, at the present moment the living soul is acting, and when the material body, due to its incapability to function, ceases, he also ceases to perform his reactionary activities. When one’s instrument of action is broken and cannot function, that is called death. Again, when one gets a new instrument for action, that is called birth. This process of birth and death is going on at every moment, by constant bodily change. The final change is called death, and acceptance of a new body is called birth. That is the solution to the question of birth and death. Actually, the living entity has neither birth nor death, but is eternal. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre: [Bg. 2.20] the living entity never dies, even after the death or annihilation of this material body. |
TEXT 1 k-iPal/ ovac AQa Yaae Ga*hMaeDaqYaaNDaMaaRNaevavSaNa( Ga*he ) k-aMaMaQa| c DaMaaRNa( SvaNa( daeiGDa >aUYa" iPaPaiTaR TaaNa( )) 1 )) kapila uvāca atha yo gṛha-medhīyān dharmān evāvasan gṛhe kāmam arthaṁ ca dharmān svān dogdhi bhūyaḥ piparti tān SYNONYMS kapilaḥ uvāca—Lord Kapila said; atha—now; yaḥ—the person who; gṛha-medhīyān—of the householders; dharmān—duties; eva—certainly; āvasan—living; gṛhe—at home; kāmam—sense gratification; artham—economic development; ca—and; dharmān—religious rituals; svān—his; dogdhi—enjoys; bhūyaḥ—again and again; piparti—performs; tān—them. TRANSLATION The Personality of Godhead said: The person who lives in the center of household life derives material benefits by performing religious rituals, and thereby he fulfills his desire for economic development and sense gratification. Again and again he acts the same way. PURPORT There are two kinds of householders. One is called the gṛhamedhī, and the other is called the gṛhastha. The objective of the gṛhamedhī is sense gratification, and the objective of the gṛhastha is self-realization. Here the Lord is speaking about the gṛhamedhī, or the person who wants to remain in this material world. His activity is to enjoy material benefits by performing religious rituals for economic development and thereby ultimately satisfy the senses. He does not want anything more. Such a person works very hard throughout his life to become very rich and eat very nicely and drink. By giving some charity for pious activity he can go to a higher planetary atmosphere in the heavenly planets in his next life, but he does not want to stop the repetition of birth and death and finish with the concomitant miserable factors of material existence. Such a person is called a gṛhamedhī. A gṛhastha is a person who lives with family, wife, children and relatives but has no attachment for them. He prefers to live in family life rather than as a mendicant or sannyāsī, but his chief aim is to achieve self-realization, or to come to the standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Here, however, Lord Kapiladeva is speaking about the gṛhamedhīs, who have made their aim the materialistically prosperous life, which they achieve by sacrificial ceremonies, by charities and by good work. They are posted in good positions, and since they know that they are using up their assets of pious activities, they again and again perform activities of sense gratification. It is said by Prahlāda Mahārāja, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām: [SB 7.5.30] they prefer to chew the already chewed. Again and again they experience the material pangs, even if they are rich and prosperous, but they do not want to give up this kind of life. |
TEXT 2 Sa caiPa >aGavÖMaaRTk-aMaMaU!" Parax(Mau%" ) YaJaTae §-Taui>adeRvaNa( iPaTa›&ê é[ÖYaaiNvTa" )) 2 )) sa cāpi bhagavad-dharmāt kāma-mūḍhaḥ parāṅ-mukhaḥ yajate kratubhir devān pitṝṁś ca śraddhayānvitaḥ SYNONYMS saḥ—he; ca api—moreover; bhagavat-dharmāt—from devotional service; kāma-mūḍhaḥ—infatuated by lust; parāk-mukhaḥ—having the face turned away; yajate—worships; kratubhiḥ—with sacrificial ceremonies; devān—the demigods; pitṝn—the forefathers; ca—and; śraddhayā—with faith; anvitaḥ—endowed. TRANSLATION Such persons are ever bereft of devotional service due to being too attached to sense gratification, and therefore, although they perform various kinds of sacrifices and take great vows to satisfy the demigods and forefathers, they are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service. PURPORT In Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) it is said that persons who worship demigods have lost their intelligence: kāmais tais tair hṛta jñānāḥ. They are much attracted to sense gratification, and therefore they worship the demigods. It is, of course, recommended in the Vedic scriptures that if one wants money, health or education, then he should worship the various demigods. A materialistic person has manifold demands, and thus there are manifold demigods to satisfy his senses. The gṛhamedhīs, who want to continue a prosperous materialistic way of life, generally worship the demigods or the forefathers by offering piṇḍa, or respectful oblations. Such persons are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and are not interested in devotional service to the Lord. This kind of so-called pious and religious man is the result of impersonalism. The impersonalists maintain that the Supreme Absolute Truth has no form and that one can imagine any form he likes for his benefit and worship in that way. Therefore the gṛhamedhīs or materialistic men say that they can worship any form of a demigod as worship of the Supreme Lord. Especially amongst the Hindus, those who are meat-eaters prefer to worship goddess Kālī because it is prescribed that one can sacrifice a goat before that goddess. They maintain that whether one worships the goddess Kālī or the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu or any demigod, the destination is the same. This is first-class rascaldom, and such people are misled. But they prefer this philosophy. Bhagavad-gītā does not accept such rascaldom, and it is clearly stated that such methods are meant for persons who have lost their intelligence. The same judgment is confirmed here, and the word kāma-mūḍha, meaning one who has lost his sense or is infatuated by the lust of attraction for sense gratification, is used. Kāma-mūḍhas are bereft of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service and are infatuated by a strong desire for sense gratification. The worshipers of demigods are condemned both in Bhagavad-gītā and in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. |
TaC^\ÖYaa§-aNTaMaiTa" iPaTa*devv]Ta" PauMaaNa( ) GaTva caNd]MaSa& l/aek&- SaaeMaPaa" PauNareZYaiTa )) 3 )) tac-chraddhayākrānta-matiḥ pitṛ-deva-vrataḥ pumān gatvā cāndramasaṁ lokaṁ soma-pāḥ punar eṣyati SYNONYMS tat—to the demigods and forefathers; śraddhayā—with reverence; ākrānta—overcome; matiḥ—his mind; pitṛ—to the forefathers; deva—to the demigods; vrataḥ—his vow; pumān—the person; gatvā—having gone; cāndramasam—to the moon; lokam—planet; soma-pāḥ—drinking soma juice; punaḥ—again; eṣyati—will return. TRANSLATION Such materialistic persons, attracted by sense gratification and devoted to the forefathers and demigods, can be elevated to the moon, where they drink an extract of the soma plant. They again return to this planet. PURPORT The moon is considered one of the planets of the heavenly kingdom. One can be promoted to this planet by executing different sacrifices recommended in the Vedic literature, such as pious activities in worshiping the demigods and forefathers with rigidity and vows. But one cannot remain there for a very long time. Life on the moon is said to last ten thousand years according to the calculation of the demigods. The demigods’ time is calculated in such a way that one day (twelve hours) is equal to six months on this planet. It is not possible to reach the moon by any material vehicle like a sputnik, but persons who are attracted by material enjoyment can go to the moon by pious activities. In spite of being promoted to the moon, however, one has to come back to this earth again when the merits of his works in sacrifice are finished. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.21): te taṁ bhuktvā svarga-lokaṁ viśālaṁ kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti. |
TEXT 21 TaTaSTae +aq<aSauk*-Taa" PauNal/aeRk-iMaMa& SaiTa ) PaTaiNTa ivvXaa devE" SaÛae iv>a]&iXaTaaedYaa" )) 21 )) tatas te kṣīṇa-sukṛtāḥ punar lokam imaṁ sati patanti vivaśā devaiḥ sadyo vibhraṁśitodayāḥ SYNONYMS tataḥ—then; te—they; kṣīṇa—exhausted; su-kṛtāḥ—results of their pious activities; punaḥ—again; lokam imam—to this planet; sati—O virtuous mother; patanti—fall; vivaśāḥ—helpless; devaiḥ—by higher arrangement; sadyaḥ—suddenly; vibhraṁśita—caused to fall; udayāḥ—their prosperity. TRANSLATION When the results of their pious activities are exhausted, they fall down by higher arrangement and again come back to this planet, just as any person raised to a high position sometimes all of a sudden falls. PURPORT It is sometimes found that a person elevated to a very high position in government service falls down all of a sudden, and no one can check him. Similarly, after finishing their period of enjoyment, foolish persons who are very much interested in being elevated to the position of president in higher planets also fall down to this planet. The distinction between the elevated position of a devotee and that of an ordinary person attracted to fruitive activities is that when a devotee is elevated to the spiritual kingdom he never falls down, whereas an ordinary person falls, even if he is elevated to the highest planetary system, Brahmaloka. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ) that even if one is elevated to a higher planet, he has to come down again. But Kṛṣṇa confirms in Bhagavad-gītā (8.16), mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate: “Anyone who attains My abode never comes back to this conditioned life of material existence.” |
TEXT 26 jaNaMaa}a& Par& b]ø ParMaaTMaeìr" PauMaaNa( ) d*XYaaidi>a" Pa*QaG>aavE>aRGavaNaek- wRYaTae )) 26 )) jñāna-mātraṁ paraṁ brahma paramātmeśvaraḥ pumān dṛśy-ādibhiḥ pṛthag bhāvair bhagavān eka īyate SYNONYMS jñāna—knowledge; mātram—only; param—transcendental; brahma—Brahman; parama-ātmā—Paramātmā; īśvaraḥ—the controller; pumān—Supersoul; dṛśi-ādibhiḥ—by philosophical research and other processes; pṛthak bhāvaiḥ—according to different processes of understanding; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ekaḥ—alone; īyate—is perceived. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead alone is complete transcendental knowledge, but according to the different processes of understanding He appears differently, either as impersonal Brahman, as Paramātmā, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead or as the puruṣa-avatāra. PURPORT The word dṛśy-ādibhiḥ is significant. According to Jīva Gosvāmī, dṛśi means jñāna, philosophical research. By different processes of philosophical research under different concepts, such as the process of jñāna-yoga, the same Bhagavān, or Supreme Personality of Godhead, is understood as impersonal Brahman. Similarly, by the eightfold yoga system He appears as the Paramātmā. But in pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or knowledge in purity, when one tries to understand the Absolute Truth, one realizes Him as the Supreme Person. The Transcendence is realized simply on the basis of knowledge. The words used here, paramātmeśvaraḥ pumān, are all transcendental, and they refer to Supersoul. Supersoul is also described as puruṣa, but the word Bhagavān directly refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full of six opulences: wealth, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge and renunciation. He is the Personality of Godhead in different spiritual skies. The various descriptions of paramātmā, īśvara and pumān indicate that the expansions of the Supreme Godhead are unlimited. Ultimately, to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead one has to accept bhakti-yoga. By executing jñāna-yoga or dhyāna-yoga one has to eventually approach the bhakti-yoga platform, and then Paramātmā, īśvara, pumān, etc., are all clearly understood. It is recommended in the Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that whether one is a devotee or fruitive actor or liberationist, if he is intelligent enough he should engage himself with all seriousness in the process of devotional service. It is also explained that whatever one desires which is obtainable by fruitive activities, even if one wants to be elevated to higher planets, can be achieved simply by execution of devotional service. Since the Supreme Lord is full in six opulences, He can bestow any one of them upon the worshiper. The one Supreme Personality of Godhead reveals Himself to different thinkers as the Supreme person or impersonal Brahman or Paramātmā. Impersonalists merge into the impersonal Brahman, but that is not achieved by worshiping the impersonal Brahman. If one takes to devotional service and at the same time desires to merge into the existence of the Supreme Lord, he can achieve that. If someone desires at all to merge into the existence of the Supreme, he has to execute devotional service. The devotee can see the Supreme Lord face to face, but the jñānī, the empiric philosopher or yogī cannot. They cannot be elevated to the positions of associates of the Lord. There is no evidence in the scriptures stating that by cultivating knowledge or worshiping the impersonal Brahman one can become a personal associate of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nor by executing the yogic principles can one become an associate of the Supreme Godhead. Impersonal Brahman, being formless, is described as adṛśya because the impersonal effulgence of brahmajyoti covers the face of the Supreme Lord. Some yogīs see the four-handed Viṣṇu sitting within the heart, and therefore in their case also the Supreme Lord is invisible. Only for the devotees is the Lord visible. Here the statement dṛśy-ādibhiḥ is significant. Since the Supreme Personality of Godhead is both invisible and visible, there are different features of the Lord. The Paramātmā feature and Brahman feature are invisible, but the Bhagavān feature is visible. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa this fact is very nicely explained. The universal form of the Lord and the formless Brahman effulgence of the Lord, being invisible, are inferior features. The concept of the universal form is material, and the concept of impersonal Brahman is spiritual, but the highest spiritual understanding is the Personality of Godhead. The Viṣṇu Purāṇa states, viṣṇur brahma-svarūpeṇa svayam eva vyavasthitaḥ: Brahman’s real feature is Viṣṇu, or the Supreme Brahman is Viṣṇu. Svayam eva: that is His personal feature. The supreme spiritual conception is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā: yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [Bg. 15.6]. That specific abode called paramaṁ mama is the place from which, once one attains it, one does not return to this miserable, conditional life. Every place, every space and everything belongs to Viṣṇu, but where He personally lives is tad dhāma paramam, His supreme abode. One has to make one’s destination the supreme abode of the Lord. |
YaQaa MahaNah&æPaiñv*TPaÄivDa" Svra$( ) Wk-adXaivDaSTaSYa vPaur<@& JaGaÛTa" )) 29 )) yathā mahān ahaṁ-rūpas tri-vṛt pañca-vidhaḥ svarāṭ ekādaśa-vidhas tasya vapur aṇḍaṁ jagad yataḥ SYNONYMS yathā—as; mahān—the mahat-tattva; aham-rūpaḥ—the false ego; tri-vṛt—the three modes of material nature; pañca-vidhaḥ—the five material elements; sva-rāṭ—the individual consciousness; ekādaśa-vidhaḥ—the eleven senses; tasya—of the living entity; vapuḥ—the material body; aṇḍam—the brahmāṇḍa; jagat—the universe; yataḥ—from which or from whom. TRANSLATION From the total energy, the mahat-tattva, I have manifested the false ego, the three modes of material nature, the five material elements, the individual consciousness, the eleven senses and the material body. Similarly, the entire universe has come from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. PURPORT The Supreme Lord is described as mahat-pada, which means that the total material energy, known as the mahat-tattva, is lying at His lotus feet. The origin or the total energy of the cosmic manifestation is the mahat-tattva. From the mahat-tattva all the other twenty-four divisions have sprung, namely the eleven senses (including the mind), the five sense objects, the five material elements, and then consciousness, intelligence and false ego. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of the mahat-tattva, and therefore, in one sense, because everything is an emanation from the Supreme Lord, there is no difference between the Lord and the cosmic manifestation. But at the same time the cosmic manifestation is different from the Lord. The word svarāṭ is very significant here. Svarāṭ means “independent.” The Supreme Lord is independent, and the individual soul is also independent. Although there is no comparison between the two qualities of independence, the living entity is minutely independent, and the Supreme Lord is fully independent. As the individual soul has a material body made of five elements and the senses, the supreme independent Lord similarly has the gigantic body of the universe. The individual body is temporary; similarly, the entire universe, which is considered to be the body of the Supreme Lord, is also temporary, and both the individual and universal bodies are products of the mahat-tattva. One has to understand the differences with intelligence. Everyone knows that his material body has developed from a spiritual spark, and similarly the universal body has developed from the supreme spark, Supersoul. As the individual body develops from the individual soul, the gigantic body of the universe develops from the Supreme Soul. Just as the individual soul has consciousness, the Supreme Soul is also conscious. But although there is a similarity between the consciousness of the Supreme Soul and the consciousness of the individual soul, the individual soul’s consciousness is limited, whereas the consciousness of the Supreme Soul is unlimited. This is described in Bhagavad-gītā (13.3). Kṣetrajñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: the Supersoul is present in every field of activity, just as the individual soul is present in the individual body. Both of them are conscious. The difference is that the individual soul is conscious of the individual body only, whereas the Supersoul is conscious of the total number of individual bodies. |
TEXT 32 jaNaYaaeGaê Maiàïae NaEGauR<Yaae >ai¢-l/+a<a" ) ÜYaaerPYaek- WvaQaaeR >aGavC^Bdl/+a<a" )) 32 )) jñāna-yogaś ca man-niṣṭho nairguṇyo bhakti-lakṣaṇaḥ dvayor apy eka evārtho bhagavac-chabda-lakṣaṇaḥ SYNONYMS jñāna-yogaḥ—philosophical research; ca—and; mat-niṣṭhaḥ—directed towards Me; nairguṇyaḥ—free from the material modes of nature; bhakti—devotional service; lakṣaṇaḥ—named; dvayoḥ—of both; api—moreover; ekaḥ—one; eva—certainly; arthaḥ—purpose; bhagavat—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śabda—by the word; lakṣaṇaḥ—signified. TRANSLATION Philosophical research culminates in understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After achieving this understanding, when one becomes free from the material modes of nature, he attains the stage of devotional service. Either by devotional service directly or by philosophical research, one has to find the same destination, which is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. PURPORT It is said in Bhagavad-gītā that after many, many lives of philosophical research the wise man ultimately comes to the point of knowing that Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is everything, and therefore he surrenders unto Him. Such serious students in philosophical research are rare because they are very great souls. If by philosophical research one cannot come to the point of understanding the Supreme Person, then his task is not finished. His search in knowledge is still to be continued until he comes to the point of understanding the Supreme Lord in devotional service. The opportunity for direct touch with the Personality of Godhead is given in Bhagavad-gītā, where it is also said that those who take to other processes, namely the processes of philosophical speculation and mystic yoga practice, have much trouble. After many, many years of much trouble, a yogī or wise philosopher may come to Him, but his path is very troublesome, whereas the path of devotional service is easy for everyone. One can achieve the result of wise philosophical speculation simply by discharging devotional service, and unless one reaches the point of understanding the Personality of Godhead by his mental speculation, all his research work is said to be simply a labor of love. The ultimate destination of the wise philosopher is to merge in the impersonal Brahman, but that Brahman is the effulgence of the Supreme Person. The Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (14.27), brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham amṛtasyāvyayasya ca: “I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is indestructible and is the supreme bliss.” The Lord is the supreme reservoir of all pleasure, including Brahman pleasure; therefore, one who has unflinching faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead is said to be already realized in impersonal Brahman and Paramātmā. |
YaQaeiNd]YaE" Pa*QaGÜarErQaaeR bhuGau<aaé[Ya" ) Wk-ae NaaNaeYaTae TaÜÙGavaNa( XaañvTMaRi>a" )) 33 )) yathendriyaiḥ pṛthag-dvārair artho bahu-guṇāśrayaḥ eko nāneyate tadvad bhagavān śāstra-vartmabhiḥ SYNONYMS yathā—as; indriyaiḥ—by the senses; pṛthak-dvāraiḥ—in different ways; arthaḥ—an object; bahu-guṇa—many qualities; āśrayaḥ—endowed with; ekaḥ—one; nānā—differently; īyate—is perceived; tadvat—similarly; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; śāstra-vartmabhiḥ—according to different scriptural injunctions. TRANSLATION A single object is appreciated differently by different senses due to its having different qualities. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, but according to different scriptural injunctions He appears to be different. PURPORT It appears that by following the path of jñāna-yoga, or empiric philosophical speculation, one reaches the impersonal Brahman, whereas by executing devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness one enriches his faith in and devotion to the Personality of Godhead. But it is stated here that both bhakti-yoga and jñāna-yoga are meant for reaching the same destination—the Personality of Godhead. By the process of jñāna-yoga the same Personality of Godhead appears to be impersonal. As the same object appears to be different when perceived by different senses, the same Supreme Lord appears to be impersonal by mental speculation. A hill appears cloudy from a distance, and one who does not know may speculate that the hill is a cloud. Actually, it is not a cloud; it is a big hill. One has to learn from authority that the sight of a cloud is not actually a cloud but a hill. If one makes a little more progress, then instead of a cloud he sees the hill and something green. When one actually approaches the hill, he will see many varieties. Another example is in perceiving milk. When we see milk, we see that it is white; when we taste it, it appears that milk is very palatable. When we touch milk, it appears very cold; when we smell milk, it appears to have a very good flavor; and when we hear, we understand that it is called milk. Perceiving milk with different senses, we say that it is something white, something very delicious, something very aromatic, and so on. Actually, it is milk. Similarly, those who are trying to find the Supreme Godhead by mental speculation may approach the bodily effulgence, or the impersonal Brahman, and those who are trying to find the Supreme Godhead by yoga practice may find Him as the localized Supersoul, but those who are directly trying to approach the Supreme Truth by practice of bhakti-yoga can see Him face to face as the Supreme Person. Ultimately, the Supreme Person is the destination of all different processes. The fortunate person who, by following the principles of scriptures, becomes completely purified of all material contamination, surrenders unto the Supreme Lord as everything. Just as one can appreciate the real taste of milk with the tongue and not with the eyes, nostrils or ears, one can similarly appreciate the Absolute Truth perfectly and with all relishable pleasure only through one path, devotional service. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: [Bg. 18.55] if one wants to understand the Absolute Truth in perfection, he must take to devotional service. Of course, no one can understand the Absolute Truth in all perfection. That is not possible for the infinitesimal living entities. But the highest point of understanding by the living entity is reached by discharge of devotional service, not otherwise. By following various scriptural paths, one may come to the impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The transcendental pleasure derived from merging with or understanding the impersonal Brahman is very extensive because Brahman is ananta. Tad brahma niṣkalaṁ anantam: brahmānanda is unlimited. But that unlimited pleasure can also be surpassed. That is the nature of the Transcendence. The unlimited can be surpassed also, and that higher platform is Kṛṣṇa. When one deals directly with Kṛṣṇa, the mellow and the humor relished by reciprocation of devotional service is incomparable, even with the pleasure derived from transcendental Brahman. Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī therefore says that kaivalya, the Brahman pleasure, is undoubtedly very great and is appreciated by many philosophers, but to a devotee, who has understood how to derive pleasure from exchanging devotional service with the Lord, this unlimited Brahman appears to be hellish. One should try, therefore, to transcend even the Brahman pleasure in order to approach the position of dealing with Kṛṣṇa face to face. As the mind is the center of all the activities of the senses, Kṛṣṇa is called the master of the senses, Hṛṣīkeśa. The process is to fix the mind on Hṛṣīkeśa, or Kṛṣṇa, as Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did (sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ). Bhakti is the basic principle of all processes. Without bhakti, neither jñāna-yoga nor aṣṭāṅga-yoga can be successful, and unless one approaches Kṛṣṇa, the principles of self-realization have no ultimate destination. |
TEXTS 34–36 i§-YaYaa §-Taui>adaRNaESTaPa"SvaDYaaYaMaXaRNaE" ) AaTMaeiNd]YaJaYaeNaaiPa Sa&NYaaSaeNa c k-MaR<aaMa( )) 34 )) YaaeGaeNa ivivDaa(r)eNa >ai¢-YaaeGaeNa cEv ih ) DaMaeR<aae>aYaicöeNa Ya" Pa[v*itaiNav*itaMaaNa( )) 35 )) AaTMaTatvavbaeDaeNa vEraGYae<a d*!eNa c ) wRYaTae >aGavaNaei>a" SaGau<aae iNaGauR<a" Svd*k(- )) 36 )) kriyayā kratubhir dānais tapaḥ-svādhyāya-marśanaiḥ ātmendriya-jayenāpi sannyāsena ca karmaṇām yogena vividhāṅgena bhakti-yogena caiva hi dharmeṇobhaya-cihnena yaḥ pravṛtti-nivṛttimān ātma-tattvāvabodhena vairāgyeṇa dṛḍhena ca īyate bhagavān ebhiḥ saguṇo nirguṇaḥ sva-dṛk SYNONYMS kriyayā—by fruitive activities; kratubhiḥ—by sacrificial performances; dānaiḥ—by charity; tapaḥ—austerities; svādhyāya—study of Vedic literature; marśanaiḥ—and by philosophical research; ātma-indriya-jayena—by controlling the mind and senses; api—also; sannyāsena—by renunciation; ca—and; karmaṇām—of fruitive activities; yogena—by yoga practice; vividha-aṅgena—of different divisions; bhakti-yogena—by devotional service; ca—and; eva—certainly; hi—indeed; dharmeṇa—by prescribed duties; ubhaya-cihnena—having both symptoms; yaḥ—which; pravṛtti—attachment; nivṛtti-mān—containing detachment; ātma-tattva—the science of self-realization; avabodhena—by understanding; vairāgyeṇa—by detachment; dṛḍhena—strong; ca—and; īyate—is perceived; bhagavān—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ebhiḥ—by these; sa-guṇaḥ—in the material world; nirguṇaḥ—beyond the material modes; sva-dṛk—one who sees his constitutional position. TRANSLATION By performing fruitive activities and sacrifices, by distributing charity, by performing austerities, by studying various literatures, by conducting philosophical research, by controlling the mind, by subduing the senses, by accepting the renounced order of life and by performing the prescribed duties of one’s social order; by performing the different divisions of yoga practice, by performing devotional service and by exhibiting the process of devotional service containing the symptoms of both attachment and detachment; by understanding the science of self-realization and by developing a strong sense of detachment, one who is expert in understanding the different processes of self-realization realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is represented in the material world as well as in transcendence. PURPORT As it is stated in the previous verse, one has to follow the principles of the scriptures. There are different prescribed duties for persons in the different social and spiritual orders. Here it is stated that performance of fruitive activities and sacrifices and distribution of charity are activities meant for persons who are in the householder order of society. There are four orders of the social system: brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. For the gṛhasthas, or householders, performance of sacrifices, distribution of charity, and action according to prescribed duties are especially recommended. Similarly, austerity, study of Vedic literature, and philosophical research are meant for the vānaprasthas, or retired persons. Study of the Vedic literature from the bona fide spiritual master is meant for the brahmacārī, or student. Ātmendriya-jaya, control of the mind and taming of the senses, is meant for persons in the renounced order of life. All these different activities are prescribed for different persons so that they may be elevated to the platform of self-realization and from there to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service. The words bhakti-yogena caiva hi mean that whatever is to be performed, as described in verse 34, whether yoga or sacrifice or fruitive activity or study of Vedic literature or philosophical research or acceptance of the renounced order of life, is to be executed in bhakti-yoga. The words caiva hi, according to Sanskrit grammar, indicate that one must perform all these activities mixed with devotional service, otherwise such activities will not produce any fruit. Any prescribed activity must be performed for the sake of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.27), yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi: “Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you sacrifice, whatever austerities you undergo and whatever charities you give, the result should be given to the Supreme Lord.” The word eva is added, indicating that one must execute activities in such a way. Unless one adds devotional service to all activities, he cannot achieve the desired result, but when bhakti-yoga is prominent in every activity, then the ultimate goal is sure. One has to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, as it is stated in Bhagavad-gītā: “After many, many births, one approaches the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, and surrenders unto Him, knowing that He is everything.” Also in Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasām: [Bg. 5.29] “For anyone who is undergoing rigid austerity or for anyone performing different kinds of sacrifices, the beneficiary is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” He is the proprietor of all planets, and He is the friend of every living soul. The words dharmeṇobhaya-cihnena mean that the bhakti-yoga process contains two symptoms, namely attachment for the Supreme Lord and detachment from all material affinities. There are two symptoms of advancement in the process of devotional service, just as there are two processes taking place while eating. A hungry man feels strength and satisfaction from eating, and at the same time he gradually becomes detached from eating any more. Similarly, with the execution of devotional service, real knowledge develops, and one becomes detached from all material activities. In no other activity but devotional service is there such detachment from matter and attachment for the Supreme. There are nine different processes to increase this attachment to the Supreme Lord: hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, serving the Lord, making friendship, praying, offering everything and serving the lotus feet of the Lord. The processes for increasing detachment from material affinities are explained in verse 36. One can achieve elevation to the higher planetary systems like the heavenly kingdom by executing one’s prescribed duties and by performing sacrifices. When one is transcendental to such desires because of accepting the renounced order of life, he can understand the Brahman feature of the Supreme, and when one is able to see his real constitutional position, he sees all other processes and becomes situated in the stage of pure devotional service. At that time he can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. Understanding of the Supreme person is called ātma-tattva-avabodhena, which means “understanding of one’s real constitutional position.” If one actually understands one’s constitutional position as an eternal servitor of the Supreme Lord, he becomes detached from the service of the material world. Everyone engages in some sort of service. If one does not know one’s constitutional position, one engages in the service of his personal gross body or his family, society or country. But as soon as one is able to see his constitutional position (the word sva-dṛk means “one who is able to see”), he becomes detached from such material service and engages himself in devotional service. As long as one is in the modes of material nature and is performing the duties prescribed in the scriptures, he can be elevated to higher planetary systems, where the predominating deities are material representations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, like the sun-god, the moon-god, the air-god, Brahmā and Lord Śiva. All the different demigods are material representations of the Supreme Lord. By material activities one can approach only such demigods, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.25). Yānti deva-vratā devān: those who are attached to the demigods and who perform the prescribed duties can approach the abodes of the demigods. In this way, one can go to the planet of the Pitās, or forefathers. Similarly, one who fully understands the real position of his life adopts devotional service and realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead. |
TEXT 10 k-iPal/ ovac MaaGaeR<aaNaeNa MaaTaSTae SauSaeVYaeNaaeidTaeNa Mae ) AaiSQaTaeNa Para& k-aïaMaicradvraeTSYaiSa )) 10 )) kapila uvāca mārgeṇānena mātas te susevyenoditena me āsthitena parāṁ kāṣṭhām acirād avarotsyasi SYNONYMS kapilaḥ uvāca—Lord Kapila said; mārgeṇa—by the path; anena—this; mātaḥ—My dear mother; te—for you; su-sevyena—very easy to execute; uditena—instructed; me—by Me; āsthitena—being performed; parām—supreme; kāṣṭhām—goal; acirāt—very soon; avarotsyasi—you will attain. TRANSLATION The Personality of Godhead said: My dear mother, the path of self-realization which I have already instructed to you is very easy. You can execute this system without difficulty, and by following it you shall very soon be liberated, even within your present body. PURPORT Devotional service is so perfect that simply by following the rules and regulations and executing them under the direction of the spiritual master, one is liberated, as it is said herein, from the clutches of māyā, even in this body. In other yogic processes, or in empiric philosophical speculation, one is never certain whether or not he is at the perfectional stage. But in the discharge of devotional service, if one has unflinching faith in the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master and follows the rules and regulations, he is sure to be liberated, even within this present body. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, has also confirmed this. Īhā yasya harer dāsye: regardless of where he is situated, anyone whose only aim is to serve the Supreme Lord under the direction of the spiritual master is called jīvan-mukta, or one who is liberated even with his material body. Sometimes doubts arise in the minds of neophytes about whether or not the spiritual master is liberated, and sometimes neophytes are doubtful about the bodily affairs of the spiritual master. The point of liberation, however, is not to see the bodily symptoms of the spiritual master. One has to see the spiritual symptoms of the spiritual master. Jīvan-mukta means that even though one is in the material body (there are still some material necessities, since the body is material), because one is fully situated in the service of the Lord, he should be understood to be liberated. Liberation entails being situated in one’s own position. That is the definition in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: muktir. .. svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. The svarūpa, or actual identity of the living entity, is described by Lord Caitanya. Jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya—kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’: [Cc. Madhya 20.108] the real identity of the living entity is that he is eternally a servitor of the Supreme Lord. If someone is one-hundred-percent engaged in the service of the Lord, he is to be understood as liberated. One must understand whether or not he is liberated by his activities in devotional service, not by other symptoms. |
b]ø<YaviSQaTaMaiTa>aRGavTYaaTMaSa&é[Yae ) iNav*taJaqvaPaitaTvaT+aq<a(c)e-XaaáiNav*RiTa" )) 26 )) brahmaṇy avasthita-matir bhagavaty ātma-saṁśraye nivṛtta-jīvāpattitvāt kṣīṇa-kleśāpta-nirvṛtiḥ SYNONYMS brahmaṇi—in Brahman; avasthita—situated; matiḥ—her mind; bhagavati—in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ātma-saṁśraye—residing in all living entities; nivṛtta—freed; jīva—of the jīva soul; āpattitvāt—from the unfortunate condition; kṣīṇa—disappeared; kleśa—material pangs; āpta—attained; nirvṛtiḥ—transcendental bliss. TRANSLATION Her mind became completely engaged in the Supreme Lord, and she automatically realized the knowledge of the impersonal Brahman. As a Brahman-realized soul, she was freed from the designations of the materialistic concept of life. Thus all material pangs disappeared, and she attained transcendental bliss. PURPORT The previous verse states that Devahūti was already conversant with the Absolute Truth. It may be questioned why she was meditating. The explanation is that when one theoretically discusses the Absolute Truth, he becomes situated in the impersonal concept of the Absolute Truth. Similarly, when one seriously discusses the subject matter of the form, qualities, pastimes and entourage of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes situated in meditation on Him. If one has complete knowledge of the Supreme Lord, then knowledge of the impersonal Brahman is automatically realized. The Absolute Truth is realized by the knower according to three different angles of vision, namely impersonal Brahman, localized Supersoul and ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If one is situated, therefore, in knowledge of the Supreme Person, this implies that one is already situated in the concept of the Supersoul and impersonal Brahman. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg. 18.54]. This means that unless one is freed from the material entanglement and situated in Brahman, there is no question of entering into the understanding of devotional service or engaging in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who is engaged in devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is understood to be already realized in the Brahman concept of life because transcendental knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead includes knowledge of Brahman. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā. Brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham [Bg. 14.27]: the concept of the Personality of Godhead does not depend on Brahman. The Viṣṇu Purāṇa also confirms that one who has taken shelter of the all-auspicious Supreme Lord is already situated in the understanding of Brahman. In other words, one who is a Vaiṣṇava is already a brāhmaṇa. Another significant point of this verse is that one has to observe the prescribed rules and regulations. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, yuktāhāra-vihārasya. When one engages in devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he still has to eat, sleep, defend and mate because these are necessities of the body. But he performs such activities in a regulated way. He has to eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda. He has to sleep according to regulated principles. The principle is to reduce the duration of sleep and to reduce eating, taking only what is needed to keep the body fit. In short, the goal is spiritual advancement, not sense gratification. Similarly, sex life must be reduced. Sex life is meant only for begetting Kṛṣṇa conscious children. Otherwise, there is no necessity for sex life. Nothing is prohibited, but everything is made yukta, regulated, with the higher purpose always in mind. By following all these rules and regulations of living, one becomes purified, and all misconceptions due to ignorance become nil. It is specifically mentioned here that the causes of material entanglement are completely vanquished. The Sanskrit statement anartha-nivṛtti indicates that this body is unwanted. We are spirit soul, and there was never any need of this material body. But because we wanted to enjoy the material body, we have this body, through the material energy, under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As soon as we are reestablished in our original position of servitorship to the Supreme Lord, we begin to forget the necessities of the body, and at last we forget the body. Sometimes in a dream we get a particular type of body with which to work in the dream. I may dream that I am flying in the sky or that I have gone into the forest or some unknown place. But as soon as I am awake I forget all these bodies. Similarly, when one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, fully devoted, he forgets all his changes of body. We are always changing bodies, beginning at birth from the womb of our mother. But when we are awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we forget all these bodies. The bodily necessities become secondary, for the primary necessity is the engagement of the soul in real, spiritual life. The activities of devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness are the cause of our being situated in transcendence. The words bhagavaty ātma-saṁśraye denote the Personality of Godhead as the Supreme Soul, or the soul of everyone. In Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām: “I am the seed of all entities.” By taking shelter of the Supreme Being by the process of devotional service, one becomes fully situated in the concept of the Personality of Godhead. As described by Kapila, mad-guṇa-śruti-mātreṇa: one who is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, situated in the personality of Godhead, is immediately saturated with love of God as soon as he hears about the transcendental qualities of the Lord. Devahūti was fully instructed by her son, Kapiladeva, on how to concentrate her mind on the Viṣṇu form in full detail. Following the instructions of her son in the matter of devotional service, she contemplated the form of the Lord within herself with great devotional love. That is the perfection of Brahman realization or the mystic yoga system or devotional service. At the ultimate issue, when one is fully absorbed in thought of the Supreme Lord and meditates on Him constantly, that is the highest perfection. Bhagavad-gītā confirms that one who is always absorbed in such a way is to be considered the topmost yogī. The real purpose of all processes of transcendental realization—jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga or bhakti-yoga—is to arrive at the point of devotional service. If one endeavors simply to achieve knowledge of the Absolute Truth or the Supersoul but has no devotional service, he labors without gaining the real result. This is compared to beating the husks of wheat after the grains have already been removed. Unless one understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be the ultimate goal, it is valueless simply to speculate or perform mystic yoga practice. In the aṣṭāṅga-yoga system, the seventh stage of perfection is dhyāna. This dhyāna is the third stage in devotional service. There are nine stages of devotional service. The first is hearing, and then comes chanting and then contemplating. By executing devotional service, therefore, one automatically becomes an expert jñānī and an expert yogī. In other words, jñāna and yoga are different preliminary stages of devotional service. Devahūti was expert in accepting the real substance; she contemplated the form of Viṣṇu in detail as advised by her smiling son, Kapiladeva. At the same time, she was thinking of Kapiladeva, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore she completely perfected her austerities, penances and transcendental realization. |